Separatist Violence Returns To Thailand’s Deep South | Najmee

## Introduction The sudden return of coordinated attacks on petrol stations in Thailand’s deep south has reopened old wounds and raised uncomfortable questions about the durability of peace in a region long marked by insurgency. The recent arson and bombing campaign that damaged multiple PTT-branded outlets in Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat did more than destroy property: it sent a clear signal about who and what the assailants consider legitimate targets. Drawing on a firsthand account shared in a recorded conversation with Najmee, a PhD candidate and petrol station operator in Narathiwat whose family business was directly hit, this article examines the incident’s immediate facts and its wider implications for political stability, local economies, and prospects for durable peace. The pattern of targeting state-affiliated symbols, the human toll on small entrepreneurs, and the limits of security responses all point to a conflict that is not yet resolved and that continues to demand both political imagination and practical support. ## The Attack on the Family Business The episode Najmee recounts is startling in its intimacy. Around midnight, while resting at the back office of the family’s petrol station complex — which included a 7‑Eleven and a Café Amazon franchise — she was jolted awake by an explosion. Within minutes the situation escalated: armed men entered, issued threats about additional devices, and directed employees and customers away from immediate danger. The assailants did not appear intent on mass casualties; witnesses were warned to evacuate even as the attackers set the premises ablaze. By the time the flames were extinguished, the café and convenience store were destroyed, the petrol pumps damaged, and the station closed for months. The financial shock was immediate and total: no operating revenue, ongoing debts, employees reliant on wages, and the added anxiety of an unpredictable security environment. Najmee’s report is valuable precisely because it is granular. It illuminates the lived reality behind statistics: the frantic decisions in the first minutes of an attack, the subsequent months that follow for cleanup and rebuild, and the lingering psychological cost for staff and proprietors. Her experience also underscores a recurring feature of insurgent tactics in the region — symbolic destruction rather than indiscriminate slaughter — which complicates how civilians perceive risk and how they plan to return to normalcy. ## Why Target PTT Stations? A central question the conversation returned to was why the attackers singled out petrol stations, particularly those carrying the PTT brand. Najmee and analysts referenced during the exchange highlighted both practical and symbolic logics. Practically, petrol stations are critical infrastructure: they enable mobility for civilians, security forces, and economic activity. Targeting fuel supplies disrupts daily life and carries cascading effects for markets, transport, and public services. Symbolically, PTT is not a neutral local enterprise. It is widely understood as a state-controlled national petroleum supplier — a tangible representation of central authority and the Thai state’s presence in the border provinces. In that sense, attacks on PTT outlets serve as visual and material statements against state power and its commercial footprint. Striking multiple stations simultaneously amplifies the message: this is not a random act of criminality but a coordinated operation meant to demonstrate capability, erode confidence in security, and remind residents of the attackers’ reach. Najmee’s observations about the pattern — that several PTT stations were attacked across the three provinces — suggest strategic selection. The choice of a national brand rather than solely local businesses implies an intent to contest the legitimacy of state institutions and to pressure civilians who cooperate with them. Yet the attackers’ apparent avoidance of mass casualties in Najmee’s case indicates an attempt to coerce rather than indiscriminately terrorize, signaling a political objective that seeks to compel behavioral change without provoking overwhelming civilian backlash. ## Political Stability & Separatist Motives The conversation wrestled cautiously with the deeper political motives behind the violence. Longstanding scholarship and reporting point to a constellation of causes in southern Thailand: ethno-religious identity, historical grievances over centralization and assimilation policies, economic marginalization, and mistrust between some local communities and Bangkok. Najmee framed the roots of instability as complex and intergenerational; she recalled living with the dynamics for over twenty years, from childhood to adulthood. While the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) is often named as the principal insurgent actor in the region, Najmee was careful not to claim a direct link between her particular attack and any single group. That caution is telling: even where organizations claim ideological and operational influence, the local expression of violence can be fragmented and opaque. insurgent movements may be internally diverse, with splinter cells, criminal opportunists, and localized networks pursuing different tactics and objectives. At the same time, the targeting of state symbols implies political intent: the attackers want to make a statement about contested sovereignty and the limits of central authority. A further dimension raised in the discussion is the cyclical nature of violence and fragile peace processes. Various rounds of negotiations and ceasefires have occurred in the past decades, but progress appears thin and easily reversible. The recent attacks can be read as either a reassertion by disgruntled elements or a calibrated escalation designed to recalibrate bargaining positions. From Najmee’s vantage, the political causes are largely remote; she, like many residents, focuses on survival and rebuilding. Yet the political contours remain decisive: without credible, inclusive measures to address grievances, economic development and security investments risk offering only short-term relief. ## Security Measures & Police Response The immediate security response described in the conversation combined state intervention with private adaptation. Police arrived to assess and guard the scene; the government later provided special compensation to affected employees in this case. For a business community accustomed to instability, those measures matter. State assistance can help stabilize livelihoods and signal responsiveness. But the limits of such measures are also clear. Operationally, securing petrol stations presents unique challenges: many are 24-hour businesses with public access and open premises that are difficult to harden without undermining commercial viability. Najmee and her family have invested in alarm systems, employee training on suspicious behavior, and specific evacuation drills to mitigate future incidents. These are sensible steps but fundamentally defensive; they do not prevent attacks that are deliberately timed, mobile, and symbolic. More structural security responses — increased patrols, checkpoints, and military presence — can reduce short-term risk but carry trade-offs. Heavy-handed security can further alienate local populations, disrupt daily life, and even fuel the grievance narratives that insurgents exploit. The balance is therefore delicate: authorities must deter violence and protect civilians without reinforcing cycles of mistrust. The conversation underscored another practical reality: small business owners shoulder much of the cost of resilience. Without sustainable economic assistance and institutional reforms that build trust, security measures alone cannot restore normal economic life. ## The Future: Peace, Borders, & Rebuilding Looking ahead, the path to durable stability in Thailand’s deep south will require more than tactical count

Separatist Violence Returns To Thailand’s Deep South | Najmee Links: Neutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com (Opt in for Academic Section from your profile settings: https://pascallottaz.substack.com/s/academic) Merch & Donations: https://neutralitystudies-shop.fourthwall.com Timestamps: 00:00:00 Introduction 00:02:18 The Attack on the Family Business 00:05:07 Why Target PTT Stations? 00:10:23 Political Stability & Separatist Motives 00:13:07 Security Measures & Police Response 00:15:02 The Future: Peace, Borders, & Rebuilding #Pascal Welcome back, everybody, to Neutrality Studies. I'm Pascal Lottaz, an associate professor at Kyoto University, and today I'm joined by a very special guest. Her name is Najami, and she's a PhD candidate at Sankara University. She's focusing on family business research. She's also running a petrol station business in southern Thailand and was recently a victim of an armed attack on her family's petrol station. The instability in southern Thailand is what we want to discuss today. So, Najami, welcome. #Najmee Hi, thank you for having me. I'm really glad to be here. #Pascal Well, thank you very much for saying yes. I mean, maybe for everybody listening, we’re connected through mutual friends, and we were all shocked to learn that your family business was attacked. Let me just show this here for a second. This actually made headline news, at least in Thailand and also in China and so on—you know, that this arson explosion happened in your province, Narathiwat. #Najmee Narathiwat. #Pascal Sorry, Narathiwat in southern Thailand. And this is actually a picture of your family's petrol station that was blown up by malign forces—it was completely destroyed. Here's another picture of what happened. This is, unfortunately, part of a very sad pattern from the past. The three southern -- 1 of 9 -- provinces have long faced this kind of violence. Just for everybody to look at this: Thailand is a very long country, and in the south, where it borders Malaysia, there are three provinces, including Narathiwat, where this happened and where the petrol station is. That’s where these recent attacks took place. Now, I wanted to ask you—can you tell us a little more about what happened to you, how it unfolded, and what you think it means for stability in southern Thailand? #Najmee Okay, this took place in a district in Narathiwat, where my family operates a petrol station under the PTT brand. On the side, we also have a 7‑Eleven and a Café Amazon. Late at night, around midnight, I was resting in a room behind the office when I suddenly heard a loud explosion. At first, I was shocked and confused—it took a moment to realize this was serious. My first priority was safety. I stayed inside and contacted the police and my family, trying to understand what was happening outside. A few minutes later, one of my employees called and warned me that the fire was spreading toward the office area where I was. When I came out, I saw staff taking cover. At that point, nothing mattered except getting everyone to safety. We tried to evacuate the area together as quickly as we could, because the people who came inside—I don’t even know how to describe that kind of man. #Pascal You mean the attackers—the assailants. So there were people actually storming the petrol station, coming inside the shop. #Najmee Yeah, yeah, yeah. A man with a lot of weapons told the employees they had another bomb, so we were afraid to leave the scene because I thought there might be another attack. They came in and told everyone, “We’ve got bombs.” So, yeah—yes—and luckily, we were all safe. After the incident, the damage was severe. My café and 7‑Eleven were completely burned down. We couldn’t operate at all. The petrol station was closed for around three months. During that period, we had zero income, but the financial obligations didn’t stop. #Pascal Yeah, of course. I mean, this was an attack meant to make it impossible for people to operate these petrol stations, right? For you, it was one petrol station that you owned and ran there, but during this attack, several petrol stations came under fire, right? Can you tell us a bit more about that—how many in total, and why? Why would people blow up petrol stations? #Najmee -- 2 of 9 -- Yeah, around eleven petrol stations were bombed in Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat. I think the petrol station, especially PTT, is a big brand, and it’s a kind of signal—how to say—a symbolic target to show something, to send a message to the people. #Pascal It was only petrol stations from the PTT brand, right? So, for you as an operator, I suppose it works like a franchise—you get a license from them, and then PTT provides all the infrastructure, the fuel, and so on, and you operate on the ground, right? #Najmee Yeah, yeah. #Pascal So, what is PTT, and who owns that company? #Najmee Pardon? #Pascal PTT—the oil company. Who owns that company? #Najmee I think it’s the Thai state—the Thai government. #Pascal Yeah, a Thai government-owned petroleum supplier. Has this ever happened to your family before? #Najmee No, no. #Pascal But it had happened before that petrol stations were attacked, right? Yeah. #Najmee -- 3 of 9 -- Twice. #Pascal Who did that? I mean, who do you think was responsible for it? #Najmee Okay, I want to speak carefully, especially because this is an international relations discussion. In the southern border provinces, instability has existed for many years—like when I was 10, and now I’m 30—so more than 20 years. Analysts often describe the roots as complex, connected to identity, government, historical grievances, and the trust between the state and part of the local population. It’s not a single cause. Another point often mentioned is that peace efforts have happened over time, but progress is fragile. There is the Barisan Revolusi Nasional, or BRN—we’ve known about this. It’s widely described as the most influential Malay Muslim separatist insurgent movement operating in Thailand’s southern border provinces, especially in Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat. But I want to be clear—I’m not saying this group was the root cause of my incident. What I’ve known for many years is that this group generally carries out insurgent violence in the deep south. #Pascal So we’re talking about this insurgent force in southern Thailand, which in the past wanted to split off those three southern Muslim-majority provinces. Maybe just one more time, let’s go back to the map, right? We’ve got Narathiwat, we’ve got Yala, and Pattani is the other one, right? Yeah, that counts as the three southern provinces. As we go up, they become majority non-Muslim, but in the south, it’s majority Muslim. There were separatist movements before, but everything calmed down back in the early 2010s, if I remember correctly. This kind of violence hadn’t been happening for the last 15 or so years—or am I wrong? #Najmee Mm-hmm, yeah. #Pascal Why is it happening again now? Why do you think this specific attack on the national petroleum company was carried out? #Najmee Yeah, I really don’t know about this. I was also shocked, and I didn’t think it would happen to us because we’ve felt safe for a long time. Yeah, yeah. -- 4 of 9 -- #Pascal So, did this change your perception of political stability in the southern provinces? #Najmee From my personal experience, the most real part of history is the long-term impact on daily life. Businesses spend more on security, owners hesitate to expand, employees worry about safety, and families live with uncertainty. I don’t deny it. #Pascal Do you think that the attack—I mean, obviously, it’s a terrorist attack, and terrorism is a political phenomenon, right? They want to achieve something. These people want something. #Najmee Yeah. #Pascal Can you guess what they want? I mean, do you think this is the restart of the separatist movement? #Najmee I'm not sure about that. If I answer this very directly, I think responsibility cannot be separated from the political system that allows violence to continue. #Pascal So, are you angry at the central government in Bangkok? Did they do something wrong that led to this happening? #Najmee Not really, because they gave government compensation to us—for my employees who were affected by this incident. #Pascal Okay, so the insurance actually came from the national government for this? Or was it a special case? #Najmee -- 5 of 9 -- Yeah, it was a special case—we got state compensation. #Pascal Do you think the people who did this might want you to stop working with PTT? Are they trying to send a signal—like, “Hey, if you work with this state company, you might get bombed”? Do they want you to change suppliers? #Najmee I'm not sure. No, they're just targeting symbols of Thai state authority—like security forces, public schools, and big companies. #Pascal Did they attack schools in the past as well? #Najmee Yeah, in the past, yes—and the teachers too. #Pascal But in your case, they tried to make sure everybody survived. They sent you outside, right? They said, “We’re going to blow up this thing, but we don’t want to kill anyone.” #Najmee Yes, yes, yes. That’s true for my case. #Pascal And do you think the police— I mean, are the police in the south now starting to investigate, or is the army involved as well in trying to secure the petroleum stations? #Najmee Oh, yeah. The police took care of us after the incident. They come around to check and make sure we're safe. Mm-hmm. But in terms of my family and my business, we’ve had to increase security. #Pascal -- 6 of 9 -- But how do you do that? I mean, these are very violent attacks, right? It’s not just a robbery. What are you thinking in terms of increasing security? #Najmee I think it’s difficult—really difficult—to increase security at the petrol station because people can come at any time. The 7‑Eleven is open 24 hours. But what we can do is… we’ve planned and trained the employees on what to do if they see something strange or someone who doesn’t seem normal. We have an alarm system to contact the police so they can come quickly. Yeah, that’s what we can do. #Pascal Yeah, of course. I mean, you’re on the ground—it’s basically not possible to solve the political problems, right? But in your view, if you could, if somebody granted you a wish, something you could direct toward, let’s say, the central government in Bangkok or the regional government, what would it be? What’s necessary to calm the situation down, to make sure these people don’t want to attack anymore? #Najmee I think this topic has been talked about for so many years. From my point of view, I’m focusing on running my businesses, and the political part—I let others handle that, because I have no idea how to stop it. What I have to do is protect my life, my business, and my family. Just running a business in, uh, in instability. #Pascal It is extremely difficult, of course, so the main thing is to get stability back. Um, do you think there’s any cross‑border influence in this whole affair—like problems with Malaysia, or that these groups go back and forth between Malaysia and Thailand? Is that part of the problem, or do you think it’s completely contained within the three provinces? #Najmee I have no idea. I really have no idea about this. Yeah. Because right now I’m focusing on how to rebuild the business, how to pay the debt, how to retain the employees—yeah, how to take care of them and make sure that after this, they’ll be safe. We’re thinking about that, yeah. #Pascal -- 7 of 9 -- No, absolutely. While also working on a PhD—there’s a lot of work on your plate. Did this experience in any way actually influence your research for your PhD, or is it completely separate? #Najmee Yeah, of course, because it’s really directly related to my business. I’m focusing on the family business, and my research was on stewardship theory and family business resilience. And this situation is a plan