PATTANI/YALA: Offices of the Provincial Electricity Authority were attacked in the two southern provinces early Thursday morning and staff at one of the offices were tied but not injured.
In Yala, the attack happened at 12.30am at the PEA's branch in Kabang district. At least five attackers tied six employees behind the building which was subsequently set ablaze. The assailants also torched a PEA vehicle and another vehicle of an employee there.
Senior Yala police officers inspected the place late Thursday morning and said attackers might have retaliated against authorities' arrests and extrajudicial killings of southern insurgents.
In Pattani, the PEA branch in Khok Pho district was fired and attacked with Molotov cocktails at about 2am.
Officials found 17 spent shells of 7.62mm and 5.56mm calibres and two bottles of Molotov cocktails. A glass door and five glass windows were holed. The office building was slightly burnt.
Local residents said attackers arrived on a few motorcycles and fled after the attack.