6 border crossings shut to keep IS out
Six temporary border crossings have been closed down along the Kolok River in Narathiwat to prevent members of Islamic State (IS) and other insurgents from sneaking into the country, officials said this week. The closures, which began on Tuesday, have affected about 5,000 villagers in eight communities who used them to commute daily from Sungai Kolok district to work in Malaysia. The measure has also hurt the local tourism industry including motorcycle taxis, ferries and hotels as most clients are Malaysian tourists passing through the border crossings and checkpoints lying along the river in Sungai Kolok district, officials said. The six river border crossings were sealed off by the 30th Narathiwat Special Task Force in response to an order issued by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
