PASIR MAS, Aug 26 — Cross-border movement at the Rantau Panjang Immigration, Customs, Quarantine, and Security (ICQS) Complex has dropped significantly following recent shootings, bomb explosions, and arson attacks across three southern Thai provinces.
Rantau Panjang Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) Commander Siti Khadijah Hamzah reported that 3,298 incoming movements into Malaysia were recorded between Saturday and Monday, compared to 2,969 outgoing movements.
- Incoming Movements: Stood at 2,068 on Saturday before decreasing to 1,230 across Sunday and Monday.
- Outgoing Movements: Recorded at 1,696 on Saturday before dropping to 1,273 across Sunday and Monday.
Siti Khadijah noted that the decline is directly tied to coordinated attacks at 51 locations across Narathiwat, Pattani, and Yala provinces last Saturday.
A survey conducted at the Rantau Panjang ICQS complex revealed an unusually quiet scene, contrasting with typical weekend and public holiday volumes when border traffic regularly reaches up to 5,000 cross-border movements per day and vehicles queue for nearly a kilometer. The drop reflects many Malaysians postponing travel to southern Thailand for shopping, tourism, and family visits.
In response to the violence—which involved over 50 incidents including building fires, tire burnings, and explosions—Narathiwat province was placed under a night curfew from 10:15 pm to 5:00 am.
Loud blasts originating from Narathiwat were felt across the border in Kelantan, shaking homes and causing anxiety among border communities, including residents of Kampung Lubok Gong and Kampung Tersang in Rantau Panjang.
–NMT
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