Residents in Kelantan Urged to Avoid Traveling to Narathiwat for Food
PUBLISHED: March 14, 2025, 13:17
The district office in Sungai Kolok, Narathiwat, has resumed issuing border passes following a temporary suspension due to recent bombings that inflicted significant damage on several buildings, including the district office itself.
District chief Supeeyan Taemohseng confirmed the restart of border pass services on Friday.
The attacks, which occurred on March 8, involved detonations by suspected insurgents and led to the destruction of structures within the district office compound, including the auditorium that handles border pass applications.
As a result of the assault, two defense volunteers lost their lives, and 14 others, including officials and civilians, sustained injuries from bombings and gunfire directed at the district office.
Each day, approximately 300 individuals seek temporary travel documents at the office to facilitate crossing into Kelantan, Malaysia.
Amid heightened security concerns in southern Thailand, residents of Kelantan have been advised to purchase local food instead of traveling to Sungai Kolok for meals during the fasting month of Ramadan.
State chief minister Mohd Nassurudin Daud encouraged this initiative, emphasizing the importance of supporting local businesses for safety amid the current situation in the border area.
He stated, “There is no need to go to Sungai Kolok in such a situation when we can support local traders in our own states.”
On March 8, there were additional bombings in three other locations within Sungai Kolok; however, no injuries were reported in those incidents.
The Songhkla Tourism Promotion Association has indicated that ongoing violence in Thailand’s deep South is prompting Malaysia to recommend against travel to these areas, potentially resulting in a 10% cancellation rate for bookings as operators call for long-term solutions to restore public confidence in safety.
