Malaysian tourists visiting southern Thailand have been advised by Malaysia’s consul general in Songkhla to refrain from going out at night following recent attacks by Muslim separatists in the region.
The New Straits Times quoted Consul General of Malaysia in Songkhla, Ahmad Fahmi Ahmad Sarkawi, as saying that most of the recent attacks and shootings in the provinces of Yala, Pattani, and Narathiwat had taken place at night.
"While we cannot prevent Malaysians from travelling for urgent matters, we strongly advise them to exercise caution and, if possible, avoid venturing out at night as most of the attacks occur during this period," he told the New Straits Times.
Ahmad Fahmi said that many Malaysians travelling to the southern provinces often went out at night to shop or to break their fast.
"Based on my research, the attacks in these provinces began before Ramadan and have escalated during the fasting month.
"These incidents have been occurring across all three provinces," he said.
He added that Malaysians could contact his office if they required any updates or further information regarding the situation in the affected areas.
Consulate General said in an advisory that it is closely monitoring the situation and ready to assist in case of emergencies.
The advisory follows a bomb explosion outside the Sungai Golok district office of Narathiwat on Saturday night, which resulted in the deaths of two police volunteers and injuries to 12 others.
The explosion, which occurred an hour after Muslims in the area had broken their fast, was preceded by gunfire. The attack took place along the Sungai Golok-Sungai Padi road near Big C, a popular shopping centre among Malaysians.
