Senator warns Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) is striking freely in southern Thailand, using Narathiwat as a launchpad for daily attacks, cross-border raids, brazen killings and sabotage. He demands urgent action before violence escalates further.
A top senator on the Upper House’s military committee on Saturday warned that violence in Thailand’s three southern provinces is escalating and bold, demanding an urgent overhaul of failing strategies. Senator Chaiyong Maneerungsakul said Narathiwat is now a launchpad for the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN), whose fighters cross the Malaysian border to strike inside Thailand with growing ease, highlighted by Friday’s brazen daylight killing of a ranger by two gunmen on a motorbike wearing hijabs. The Upper House security spokesman warned that intelligence predicts attacks will intensify through year-end unless authorities act.
Forensic police in Rueso, Narathiwat, confirmed Friday that 48-year-old Ranger Makoseng Baso-o was gunned down with an M16 by two hijab-clad gunmen on a motorbike. On Saturday, Senator Chaiyong Maneerungsakul warned the BRN’s southern campaign is growing bolder and deadlier. (Source: Thai Rath)
A top senator on the media panel of the upper house is warning that southern insurgents are regaining momentum and preparing near-daily attacks. He says the Barisan Revolusi Nasional, or BRN, has strengthened its command networks and field units.
Moreover, he claims young militants have completed weapons and sabotage training. He insists the security situation in the southern border provinces is heating up fast. He also argues that the current military strategy is inadequate and outdated.
Furthermore, the outspoken lawmaker urged the Fourth Army Region to revise plans immediately. He warns that five provinces could “catch fire” without urgent changes. He believes the BRN intends to escalate its violent campaign through to the end of 2025. He refers to intelligence indicating orders for continuous incidents. In his view, militants want to disrupt daily life and damage state credibility.
Southern insurgents accelerate attacks daily across five provinces as BRN strengthens and military fails
Senator Chaiyong Maneerungsakul, also a spokesman for the Senate Military and Security Committee, issued the sharp warning. He cited bombings, ambushes, arson and destruction of CCTV networks in Pattani and Narathiwat.
Additionally, he described a coordinated attempt to undermine public confidence. He noted a bombing in the Mayo district that damaged a checkpoint and 17 nearby houses. He also pointed to attacks on volunteer security posts and police bases. These incidents, he argued, signal organised, steady escalation.
According to him, militants target state authority and local economic activity. They burn construction machinery, disrupt development projects, and intimidate workers. They destroy cameras to blind security forces and weaken intelligence gathering.
They also kill officials travelling alone, he alleged, to create fear and assert dominance. He said militants also execute civilians accused of drug issues to win local support. Therefore, he believes the BRN seeks to act as an alternative power in villages.
BRN targets officials and economic activity to undermine authority and gain influence in communities
He highlighted the role of youth groups, known as Permuda and Perdu. He said they perform intelligence tasks and fundraising. He explained that young women now serve as informants and collectors, replacing young men under surveillance. Thus, insurgent support operations continue even under pressure.
He also criticised senior military appointments. He said loyalty has trumped competence in key posts. He argued that intelligence work lacks modernisation. He said the same advisers and religious figures have been consulted for 21 years without success.
He demanded new approaches, updated intelligence systems, and sharper tactical planning. In addition, he questioned the timing of troop redeployment in Narathiwat. He warned that replacing seasoned southern personnel with outside units risks security gaps. He explained that local knowledge is vital in counterinsurgency. He added that Narathiwat borders a neighbouring country and remains a BRN stronghold.
Meanwhile, violence continues on the ground. On Friday, October 31, 2015, a volunteer ranger was killed in the Rueso district, Narathiwat, in a bold daytime attack. Two attackers disguised in hijabs approached him on a motorcycle.
Youth networks maintain operations as leadership gaps and redeployments threaten counterinsurgency efforts
They rode beside him along Highway 4060 near Ban Sao-A-Hulu. Then, they opened fire with an M16 rifle at close range. They fired more than 20 rounds into the victim and his motorcycle. The victim fell, and the attackers stopped briefly to seize his 9mm pistol. Then they fled back toward Rueso.
The killing occurred at approximately 11:30 a.m. Police received the report and alerted forensic and bomb disposal units. The location sits on a rural road connecting small communities. Moreover, the attackers demonstrated knowledge of the victim’s route and timing.
Investigators identified the victim as Volunteer Defence Corpsman Makoseng Baso-o, aged 48. He was attached to the 41st Ranger Regiment in Raman, Yala.
He was off duty and travelling alone. He had left his home in Kalupang, Raman, to participate in a bird-song contest.
In fact, he had won a quilt for his two crested mynas. He carried the quilt and birds back on his black Honda Scoopy motorcycle. His motorcycle fell on its side, with the cage and blanket still visible. His body lay behind the motorcycle in a pool of blood.
Ranger gunned down in bold daytime attack, highlighting insurgents’ planning, disguise and premeditation
Police documented shots to his head, chest, back, torso, and legs. They recovered at least 20 M16 shell casings. Therefore, the attack was clearly intentional, calculated, and meant to ensure death. Moreover, the theft of his weapon indicates a goal of arming insurgents. Forensic teams combed the road for secondary devices. They found none.
Officials believe the assailants were men disguised in hijabs. This fits a pattern of gender-based disguise to evade scrutiny. It also shows tactical adaptation and local blending.
Witnesses reported a rapid escape and no hesitation. Because of this, investigators suspect a trained cell. They are examining ballistic signatures against previous attacks.
Authorities say insurgents continue to stalk off-duty security personnel. They choose soft targets, isolated routes, and moments without backup. They often follow victims first. This approach has appeared in similar incidents across Narathiwat and Yala.
As a result, security forces warn personnel to avoid solo travel. Units now instruct volunteers and rangers to operate in pairs or groups. They also urge strict travel discipline on rural roads.
Attack demonstrates methodical execution, weapon seizure and use of disguise targeting lone soldier
In response to the killing, commanders tightened checkpoints. Patrols increased in Rueso and neighbouring districts. Intelligence teams began reviewing recent movements of suspected cells. Motorcyclists with concealed faces received heightened scrutiny. However, no arrests have been made. The investigation remains active.
Communities reacted with caution. Some shops closed briefly after the attack. Residents avoided travel in the immediate aftermath. Yet, traffic resumed after security sweeps. People remain alert, but many are accustomed to sudden violence. Still, the boldness of this attack, in daylight with disguises, caused alarm.
This incident aligns with recent briefings given to senators.
It demonstrates operational discipline among insurgents. It also emphasises concerns about BRN confidence. Furthermore, the timing connects to alleged orders for near-daily incidents.
Security analysts say such tactics aim to destabilise, not seize territory. They deny that insurgents intend conventional battle. Instead, they rely on attrition, intimidation and constant pressure.
Patrols and intelligence heighten scrutiny while BRN relies on constant pressure to destabilise the region
The Fourth Army Region has responded cautiously to political criticism. Officials acknowledge ongoing operations. They claim to adjust deployments as needed. They emphasise continued patrols, intelligence gathering, and civilian cooperation.
Yet they have not addressed accusations of ineffective leadership. Nor have they publicly discussed new countermeasures. Analysts believe senators’ warnings reflect internal military frustration.
They say many officers view the conflict as stagnant. They also argue that insurgents have adapted faster than state structures. Furthermore, they note that cross-border networks remain active. They suggest that militants hide and move supplies through porous boundaries. This capacity complicates containment and enforcement.
Additionally, there is rising concern over technology use. Insurgents reportedly monitor officials’ movements online and through local networks. They sometimes track social media and messaging patterns. Because of this, security forces emphasise information discipline. They instruct personnel not to reveal travel routines. They also monitor local communications for coded alerts.
Technology and cross-border networks give insurgents an advantage as the army struggles to adapt
Despite pressure, residents continue their daily lives. Markets operate, schools function, and religious activities proceed. However, fear remains present beneath routine. Many civilians avoid remote routes or travel during quiet hours. Motorcycle riders move in pairs when possible.
People stay away from abandoned vehicles and strange objects. They also avoid large gatherings after attacks, anticipating follow-up strikes.
Local defence volunteers face heightened danger. They often lack armoured transport. They live in villages and commute openly. Their presence represents the state in rural communities.
Insurgents target them to weaken grassroots security. Officials have begun reviewing support policies for volunteers. They consider mobile escort protocols and improved personal protection. They also discuss expanded surveillance tools. Nevertheless, equipment shortages persist across some units.
Civilians and volunteers continue routines under persistent threat while support policies are reviewed
Makoseng Baso-o’s body was returned to his family after forensic procedures. Military representatives confirmed compensation protocols. They pledged continued pursuit of the attackers. Police say they are checking vehicle movements, witness reports, and phone activity.
The senator’s remarks highlight fear that such brazen attacks are presently accelerating. The tactical features—motorcycle approach, disguise, close-range fire, weapon seizure—remain relevant.
The current warnings emphasise that without rapid change, the region will remain mired in a renewed and increasing cycle of violence. Indeed, this is seen as having kicked off at the beginning of the year.
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Therefore, the situation remains tense. Patrols continue. Intelligence units monitor routes. Security forces avoid solo travel. Political oversight continues with promises of peace and stability. Meanwhile, mounting investigations into atrocities press forward.
Officials insist they will identify and capture the attackers in the latest brazen murder. They also promise strategic adjustments. However, a growing number of critics are demanding clearer reforms and stronger leadership. The region awaits to find out whether those demands turn into action or further violence forces change.
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Further reading:
Defence minister says Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) carried out gold raid and horde is in Malaysia
Insurgency links probed to Sunday evening’s precise and brutal gold shop heist which netted ฿24 million
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Insurgency erupts again in South with bold and brazen attacks on security forces shielded by border
Army security agency confirms bomb spree targeting tourist hotspots near Phuket linked to insurgency
Security scare as 2 men arrested in tourist provinces near Phuket linked to non lethal explosive devices
Prime Minister calls for less inflamed rhetoric but promises to hunt down insurgency killers in the South
Army chief calls for fighting back after a day of terror in the South which saw 4 civilians murdered in Narathiwat
Police officer murdered in Narathiwat a day after transfer news. Insurgents later bomb remains convoy
40-year-old woman survives a bomb which turned her small car into a raging inferno in Pattani province
