Around-the-clock curfew imposed in some areas of Thai far South

NARATHIWAT, THAILAND, February 13 (TNA) - The southern outpost of the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) has resorted to a martial law to impose around-the-clock curfew in six localities of two districts in Narathiwat and Pattani provinces in the violence-plagued Thai far South, after a military base was attacked Tuesday night. The curfew, exercised in a bid to arrest several injured insurgents involved in the attack, has been enforced in Bareh Nua, Bareh Tai, Palukasamoh and Kayohmatee localities of Narathiwat's Bacho district, as well as Saithong and Donsai localities in Pattani's Mai Kaen district, in which people are all prohibited to leave their houses from 6am on February 13 until 6am on February 14. Colonel Pramote Prom-in, Spokesman of the ISOC’s southern outpost, told journalists that the 32nd Marine Base in Baan Yuero of Bacho district was attacked at about 1am on Wednesday, leading to an exchange of gunfire which killed 17 insurgents. The spokesman said the military base had been prepared to cope with the attack and soldiers remained unscathed, thanks to tip-offs from local villagers and insurgent defectors. As several injured insurgents were trying to escape, local security authorities have urged relatives of the insurgents to convince the wrongdoers to surrender. Meanwhile, Lieutenant General Udomchai Thammasarorat, Commanding General of the 4th Army Area Comand, inspected the attacked military base; while Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal Prajin Juntong acknowledged, on the other hand, that the Royal Thai Air Force has been effectively guarding three major airports in the southern Thai region, including Hat Yai Airport in Songkhla Province, Bothong Airport in Pattani and Banthon Airport in Narathiwat in the wake of the attack. (TNA)