At least 12 fires broke out at private businesses in Yala, Songkhla and Pattani provinces early Friday, causing no casualties but raising suspicion of arson by militants.
The first blaze was reported to Yala’s Muang police station about 3am, after a fire broke out at Teck Bee Hang Co in tambon Thasarb of Muang district. Police and fire fighters went to the factory, where they found the blaze had originated in a warehouse storing rubber blocks, behind the main factory. Five fire trucks were called in, and it took almost three hours to control the fire.
The second case was reported at 3.15am at the same police station, reporting a fire at the base of a mobile phone signal pole on Road 409, also in tambon Thasarb.
Five minutes later, Muang police station was notified about a fire at P Parawood Co, in tambon Sateng of Muang district. Five fire trucks were sent to the scene and brought the blaze under control in 30 minutes.
About the same time, a fire broke out at Yala Tharnthong Co in tambon Budi, another rubberwood factory. The fire caused minor damage as workers were able to control it before it spread.
At 3.40am, Lam Mai police station in Muang district received a report of a fire that set ablaze a forklift and trucks inside a factory producing rubber inner tubes.
Fire minutes later, also in Lam Mai, a fire was discovered at Union Plastic LP. The fire began inside the company's facilities, but fire fighters were able to control the blaze, with only minor damage reported.
Meanwhile, police also received reports of three fires in separate locations in Songkhla province, two at furniture shops in Thepha district and one in Saba Yoi district.
Another three fires were reported at shops in Pattani province - two in Khok Pho district and one in Nong Chik district.
None of the fires resulted in death or serious injury, police reported. Officers said they suspected that all the incidents were the act of arsonists involved in the violence in the deep South.