South Thailand Security Report – January

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Least casualties in one year

The first month of 2014 experienced lower casualties than over the entire past year. 22 persons were killed and as many were injured in violence related to the conflict in the three Southern Border Provinces (SBP) over the past month. The casualties were evenly spread over the three provinces Pattani (14 casualties), Yala (15) and Narathiwat (15). Nevertheless, lower casualties during the past month do not necessarily signify that violence decreased, as there were numerous attacks with Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) that caused no injuries. Most of the victims were injured or killed by IED attacks or in shootings.

Attacks spreading across provinces

In 2013, casualties have been less concentrated than in 2012 when the five most dangerous districts accounted for almost 60 % of all total casualties. In 2013, the five top districts had around 35 % of all casualties in the Deep South. The table below shows the ten districts in the Deep South with the highest number of casualties in 2013 and 2012. The greatest changes are the drop of Yala’s Muang district and Pattani’s Sai Buri district while casualties have drastically increased in Yala’s Krong Pinang district (from 6 in 2012 to 46 in 2013) as well as in Pattani’s Mayo district (from 13 in 2012 to 38 in 2013). The large number of casualties in Hat Yai, Songkla province in 2012, is almost exclusively attributable to a single bomb attack there in March 2012. Another noteworthy change over the past year is that a second district from Yala province has entered the top ten most dangerous districts.