Malaysia Warns Its Citizens Not To Visit South Thailand After Rebel Attacks
JAKARTA - Malaysia warned its citizens against traveling to southern Thailand after the bombings and shootings by rebels that killed five people and injured 13 others on weekends.
The attack took place in Thailand's southernmost Buddhist province and a majority of Muslim Malays.
More than 7,300 people have died since the decades-old separatist uprising occurred again in 2004.
Gunmen opened fire on district offices and detonated car bombs in the border town of the Kolok River in the province of Narathiwat, which is popular among Malaysian tourists, killing two Thai security volunteers, authorities said.
In Pattani's neighboring province, roadside bombs killed a volunteer forest guard and two government officials.
"Trians are strongly advised to temporarily postpone non-essential travel to these areas," the Malaysian foreign ministry said in a statement.
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About 4.9 million of the 35.5 million visitors to Thailand last year came from Malaysia, making it the second largest tourism source market after China.
Security has been tightened in the area, Narathiwat governor Trakul Thotham told Reuters.
"This kind of incident has never happened in the last four to five years," he said.