Narathiwat: Three senior police officers from Buketa Police Station were transferred following the bombing of a patrol car in Narathiwat Province.
According to Thai News Agency, the Narathiwat Provincial Police Commander has ordered the immediate transfer of the Superintendent, Deputy Superintendent, and Patrol Officer from their original positions to assist in duties at the Narathiwat Provincial Police Operations Center. This action was taken in response to an incident where unknown assailants planted a bomb under a patrol car, severely damaging it in front of a mosque.
The bombing, which occurred on June 19th, involved an improvised explosive device (IED) placed under a police patrol pickup truck belonging to the Buketa Police Station in Waeng District, Narathiwat Province. The vehicle was parked in front of the Buketa Mosque when the explosion took place. Fortunately, there were no injuries or fatalities reported among officers or civilians despite the significant damage to the government vehicle.
The incident prompted immediate changes in the police station's leadership. Police Major General Prayong Kotrasakha, Commander of the Narathiwat Provincial Police, signed Narathiwat Provincial Police Order No. 514/2569, titled "Assigning police officers to assist in official duties." The order explained that the transfers were necessary to ensure the effective implementation of superiors' policies and to improve the administration of the Narathiwat Provincial Police.
The officers transferred include Police Colonel Thavisak Sawasdiraksa, Superintendent of Buketa Police Station; Police Lieutenant Colonel Supol Sukboon, Deputy Superintendent of Crime Prevention and Suppression; and Police Lieutenant Colonel Seera Abdullah, Crime Prevention and Suppression Inspector. These officers are now serving at the Narathiwat Provincial Police Operations Center, effectively relieving them of their previous command roles.
This urgent order for transfer is effective from June 20, 2026, until September 30, 2026, or until further notice. The reshuffling has sparked criticism, with suggestions that it is designed to facilitate fact-finding and bolster security measures in the southern border region to prevent similar incidents in the future.