Bomb attacks on 11 Thailand petrol stations – What do we know so far

Attackers set off explosives at around eleven petrol stations across southern Thailand early on Sunday, wounding four individuals, as reported by news agency AFP.

According to the Thai army, multiple bombs detonated within a 40-minute window starting at midnight Sunday, sparking fires at 11 fuel stations in the Yala, Pattani, and Narathiwat provinces.

"It happened almost at the same time. A group of an unknown number of men came and detonated bombs which damaged fuel pumps," Narathiwat Governor Boonchauy Homyamyen told local media, adding that one police officer was injured in the province.

A Thai army representative told AFP that all four victims were hospitalized, though none suffered life-threatening wounds.

The region's commander, Narathip Phoynok, announced that security protocols have been elevated to the "maximum level" throughout the area, specifically tightening border controls and road checkpoints.

This marks the newest wave of violence in the conflict-torn territory.

Since 2004, a persistent, low-scale insurgency has claimed thousands of lives as militants in the Muslim-majority area near the Malaysian border fight for increased autonomy.

Thailand's deep south remains culturally separate from the Buddhist-majority mainland, which annexed the territory over 100 years ago. Today, the region sees a heavy military presence, with security personnel often serving as primary targets for rebel activity.

Anutin stated recently that the 2000 MoU on land demarcation and the 2001 MoU concerning overlapping maritime zones require significant revision or total replacement. He proposed a modernized framework — potentially under a new designation — that incorporates contemporary surveying techniques and more precise legal doctrines.

Despite this, Anutin clarified that his caretaker government lacks the authority to enact binding modifications since parliament was dissolved for upcoming elections. He noted the current administration's primary duty is maintaining regional stability and preventing public uncertainty until a successor takes over, the Bangkok Post reported.

The prime minister also addressed the broader security situation along the Thai-Cambodian border, saying he had been informed that "conditions were calm and under control, though authorities remained on alert following recent clashes."

Border disputes have emerged as a key election theme as Thai political factions organize. On Saturday, Thai Pakdee Party head Warong Dechgitvigrom and local candidate Isaraporn Narin held a rally in Bangkok, denouncing the use of Cambodia's favored 1:200,000-scale maps. Warong contended these maps are flawed and overlook historical data regarding the watershed line—data he claims the International Court of Justice previously acknowledged.