KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysians have been advised to defer non-essential travel to parts of southern Thailand following a series of bombings, arson attacks and sabotage incidents reported overnight.
Kelantan police chief Datuk Yusoff Mamat said the security situation in the affected areas had worsened after 51 incidents were recorded across three districts, prompting authorities to urge travellers to exercise greater caution.
“We were informed that there were 51 incidents involving three districts in southern Thailand and the issue of unrest there (Thailand) happens every day, but last night’s incident was quite serious.” he said during a press conference at the Kelantan police headquarters, as reported by local media.
He said Malaysian authorities had not received any reports of citizens being caught up in the attacks.
“We do not want our people to be affected by such incidents and so far we have not received news of any victims from Malaysia,” he added.
Yusoff stressed that Malaysians were still allowed to enter Thailand but should reconsider their travel plans until the situation stabilises.
“If possible, postpone your trip for now, but we are not stopping you. However, be careful when entering Thailand,” he stressed.
More than 50 incidents, including explosions, the burning of government facilities and the torching of piles of vehicle tyres, were reported across three southern provinces.
Narathiwat was among the worst-hit areas, with at least 11 locations targeted in attacks involving explosions, arson and the burning of tyres.
Thai authorities have since intensified security operations and launched investigations into the coordinated attacks.
In a statement, the Internal Security Operations Command Region 4 (ISOC 4) said investigations were being accelerated while security measures were being strengthened to safeguard the public and restore normal conditions as soon as possible.
Narathiwat was also placed under a curfew from 10.15pm yesterday until 5am today.
The restriction allowed military personnel to carry out security operations, including searches, area control measures and enforcement actions under the 1914 Martial Law Act.
Despite the scale of the attacks, no Malaysians have been reported injured. – August 23, 2026