Pattani: One person was injured in a shooting at the Excise Department office in Pattani. At approximately 11:40 AM, police officers from Mayo Police Station received a report of an incident where gunmen opened fire on police officers in front of the Pattani Excise Department, Mayo Branch, Village No. 5, Langga Subdistrict, Mayo District, Pattani Province.
According to Thai News Agency, officers arrived at the scene to provide assistance. Upon arrival, they found the situation had calmed down. They discovered one injured person, identified as Ms. Nurhayati, who had been shot once in the torso. She was taken to Mayo Hospital. At the scene, more than 10 M16 shell casings were found on the road and collected as evidence. Additionally, a large amount of blood was found on a bench. The Excise Department building sustained multiple gunshot wounds, including to the office windows and the building itself, but fortunately, no staff members were injured.
The investigation revealed that while four officers from the Southern Border Provinces Police Operation Center (SBPPOC) in Yala Province were escorting a suspect for selling untaxed cigarettes in Sai Buri District, Pattani Province, to the Pattani Excise Department, Mayo Branch, for legal processing, they were seated on a stone bench in front of the office when two unknown assailants on a motorcycle, dressed as Muslim women wearing hijabs and armed with M16 rifles, opened fire on the officers more than 10 times. The officers took cover and prepared to retaliate before the assailants sped away, causing panic among local residents and excise officers working inside the office. Following the incident, several people were injured and immediately taken to the hospital.
Following the incident, authorities immediately deployed forces to track down the perpetrators. They are also urgently reviewing CCTV footage from the scene and surrounding areas to identify the suspects and bring them to justice. Authorities believe the attack was carried out by insurgent groups attempting to create unrest, and that the perpetrators are likely government officials.