Hat yai: Elite Thai Navy SEALs and Border Patrol Police were deployed to the severely flooded 'zone 8' in Hatyai, Songkhla, after civilian rescue teams pulled out due to hostility and threats from some residents, including reports of warning shots. The emergency deployment, which began on the night of November 26, successfully rescued numerous stranded citizens, including the elderly and children.
According to Thai News Agency, Col. Bhak Loharjun, who is presently the Chief Medical Officer at Special Warfare Command and a key figure in the 2018 'Wild Boar' cave rescue, also led an army special forces team into the area. The team focused on evacuating critical patients as water levels reached up to 1.5 meters.
Police confirmed the security incidents and have adjusted the rescue strategy. All volunteer teams are now required to be escorted by state officials for safety. Authorities acknowledged that the victims' high stress levels likely contributed to the tensions with rescuers.