Australian Government travel advice - leave Southern Thailand, do not travel across Malaysian border
Wednesday, 24 August 2016
http://smartraveller.gov.au/Countries/asia/south-east/Pages/thailand.aspx
- We strongly advise you not to travel at this time to the southern provinces of Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat and Songkhla or overland to and from the Malaysian border through these provinces due to high levels of ongoing violence in these areas, including terrorist attacks and bombings that result in deaths and injuries on an almost daily basis.
Car bomb tears through Thai hotel in Pattani
TWO bombs have ripped through a hotel in the southern Thai beach town of Pattani, killing one person and wounding 30.
The Southern Hotel is in an area popular with Western tourists, however it’s understood all the casualties were Thai people.
The blast, which happened after midnight Australian time, appears to have largely demolished the streetside wall of the structure.
The first blast in a car park behind the Southern Hotel caused no casualties, Police Lieutenant Colonel Winyu Tiamraj told Reuters on Wednesday.
“The second explosion came from a truck parked at the hotel entrance, opposite a karaoke bar and a massage parlour, resulting in one death and 30 injuries,” he said.
A string of 11 bomb attacks on popular tourist spots took place earlier this month, shortly after national elections cemented the role of Thailand’s military.
Four people were killed and dozens injured.
A nationwide hunt for those responsible has so far largely failed to identify those responsible.
เหตุระเบิดในเขตเมืองปัตตานีใกล้โรงแรมเซาท์เทิร์นทำให้เกิดเพลิงไหม้ ขอบคุณภาพจากจนท.และกู้ชีพฯ pic.twitter.com/9rMuw1AS21
— ศูนย์ข่าวภาคใต้ (@Isra_News) August 23, 2016
ภาพระเบิดใต้โรงแรมเซาธ์เทิร์น ปัตตานี รุนแรง cr.อาสากู้ภัยในพื้นที่ #PPTVHD36 pic.twitter.com/n9ajhXk7m7
— sataporn p.watana (@sataporn_pptv) August 23, 2016
ภาพอีกชุด เหตุระเบิดใต้โรงแรมเซาธ์เทิร์น ปัตตานี แหล่งสถานบันเทิง เสียหายวงกว้าง cr.อาสากู้ภัยในพื้นที่ #PPTVHD36 pic.twitter.com/Jc6Ga9AVWT
— sataporn p.watana (@sataporn_pptv) August 23, 2016