Post by : Badri Ariffin

Thailand has imposed martial law across the southern border province of Narathiwat following a deadly attack on a security checkpoint that killed five paramilitary troops.

The order was issued on Thursday by Major General Yod-Arwut Phuengpak, commander of the Narathiwat Task Force. The decision came one day after armed attackers targeted a ranger checkpoint in Ra-ngae district. The assault resulted in the deaths of five paramilitary personnel and left six civilians injured.

Military Granted Wide-Ranging Security Powers

Under the martial law declaration, security forces have been given expanded authority to respond to suspected insurgent activity throughout the province.

The military can now set up roadblocks, stop and search vehicles, conduct searches of homes without warrants when they are believed to be connected to insurgent activities, and arrest suspects.

Security personnel have also been authorised to use lethal force when it is considered necessary and proportionate to the level of threat.

Military Takes Charge of Public Security

With martial law now in effect, the military will take responsibility for maintaining peace and public order across Narathiwat province.

Civil servants and government officials involved in security-related duties will operate under the direction of the military while the emergency measures remain in force.

Long-Running Conflict in Southern Thailand

Narathiwat is one of Thailand's four southern provinces, an area with a large Malay Muslim population that forms part of the historic Patani region.

The conflict in southern Thailand is rooted in a long-standing ethnocultural dispute between Malay Muslims living in the region and the Thai central state, where Buddhism is regarded as the country's de facto national religion.

Insurgency Dates Back Several Decades

Armed insurgent groups first emerged during the 1960s after Thailand's military government sought to interfere in Islamic schools. The insurgency later declined during the 1990s.

However, in 2004, a renewed armed movement appeared, made up of numerous local fighting groups loosely organised under the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN), also known as the National Revolutionary Front.

The conflict continues to be recognised as one of the world's deadliest low-intensity insurgencies.

#Global News #Thailand News #World Update