Coordinated daylight ambushes leave four dead and several wounded in Thailand’s troubled southern province

Two separate shootings in Narathiwat, Thailand, have left four civilians dead, including a 76-year-old blind woman and a nine-year-old girl. Authorities suspect separatist insurgents are behind the brutal attacks.

Daylight Ambush Claims Two Victims

On Friday, 2 May 2025, suspected insurgents opened fire on a 76-year-old blind woman and her son in Chang Phueak subdistrict, Narathiwat province. The pair were travelling home from Chanae Hospital when two assailants on a motorbike approached. The gunman fired three shots from a 9mm handgun, killing the elderly woman—identified as Ms. Sanga—on the spot and critically injuring her 50-year-old son, Mr. Thassnai.

Second Attack Leaves Three Dead, Including a Child

Just hours later at around 7:45 PM, a second deadly shooting took place in Tak Bai district, also in Narathiwat. Armed men on three motorcycles indiscriminately fired into a house in Khosit subdistrict, killing three people: a nine-year-old girl and two adult male relatives, aged 46 and 58. Two other men were seriously injured and hospitalised. All victims were watching television when the attackers struck.

Military Launches Manhunt, Heightens Security

Lieutenant General Paisan Nusang, commander of Thailand’s Fourth Army Region, condemned the attacks as “inhumane and barbaric.” During a visit to Ai Bue Tae village in Chanae, he held emergency talks with community leaders, promising enhanced protection for vulnerable groups and pledging a full-scale manhunt. Security forces have now been ordered to seal off escape routes and increase surveillance in the affected areas.

Suspected Separatist Motive

Investigators believe both incidents were carried out by members of southern separatist groups, potentially in retaliation to recent crackdowns by Thai authorities. The region, home to a predominantly Muslim population, has long grappled with insurgent violence, though such brazen attacks on unarmed civilians are rare. Since 2004, more than 7,000 people have died due to renewed hostilities in Narathiwat, Pattani, and Yala provinces.

Lingering Trauma from Tak Bai Tragedy

The shootings also come amid rising tensions following the dismissal of the Tak Bai case—a 2004 incident where security forces killed seven protesters and 78 others died from suffocation in military trucks. The statute of limitations expired earlier this year, reigniting anger in southern communities. No prosecutions have ever been made, further fuelling distrust toward state authorities.

Authorities continue to investigate and pursue leads in both cases. Community leaders have urged the government to address root causes of unrest while ensuring protection for all civilians. Human rights advocates stress the importance of transparency, reconciliation, and legal accountability to break the cycle of violence and impunity that has haunted the region for decades.

The coordinated attacks in Narathiwat underscore the volatile nature of Thailand’s southern conflict, where civilians—young and old—pay the price of long-standing political strife. As the Thai military pledges decisive action, communities call for more than security—they seek justice, reform, and peace that lasts beyond political statements.

Sources: Must Share News (2025), Bangkok Post (2025)

Keywords: Gunmen Narathiwat, Blind Woman Shot, Nine Year Old Killed, Thailand Insurgency, Separatist Attacks, Chanae Tak Bai Shooting