Rueso: A suspicious sedan was found burned in the middle of the road before reaching the Ban Ao Bridge in Rueso District, Narathiwat Province, with the entire car damaged. At 10:00 a.m. (July 6), Pol. Col. Supachai Supphakitcharak, Superintendent of Rueso Police Station, Narathiwat Province, along with Col. Sittichai Bamrungkhet, Commander of Task Force 46, and officers from the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit, Narathiwat Provincial Police Headquarters, Narathiwat Forensic Science Division, and relevant officers, traveled to inspect the scene. The incident occurred at 9:00 p.m. on the night of July 5, but officers delayed their investigation, fearing a potential trap.
According to Thai News Agency, officers used a metal detector to clear the area and identified the vehicle as a gray Nissan with a Bangkok license plate. The owner of the sedan was identified as Ms. Pannipa from Nakhon Pathom Province, with taxes due since 2020. The sedan was one of two vehicles that authorities had warned might be used in a car bomb plot in Raman District, Yala Province, and Mueang Narathiwat, Tak Bai, Su-ngai Padi, and Su-ngai Kolok Districts.
Investigations at the scene revealed no evidence of fuel being used to ignite the car, though it is believed that fuel was poured into the passenger compartment to destroy evidence. A security source monitoring the situation described the case as unprecedented, suggesting that the perpetrators might have realized the sedan was under close scrutiny at checkpoints. This awareness likely compelled them to destroy the vehicle to avoid arrest and questioning.
Authorities plan to expand their inquiry by speaking with villagers in the area to determine if anyone saw the sedan being driven through the village or noticed who was driving it. This information could be crucial in advancing the investigation into the burning of the sedan.