Mr Komol stressed to The Phuket News that such incidents must not be allowed to destabilise the community or undermine Phuket’s standing as a world-class tourist destination.
Formal notices were promptly sent to all 63 mosques across the province, urging mosque leaders to step up security, closely monitor religious gatherings, and carefully screen individuals participating in religious activities.
“As soon as we became aware of the situation, we instructed police to review all CCTV footage at mosques and provided full access to assist with their investigations,” Mr Komol said.
“We have already uncovered evidence showing that the suspect visited Tha Chatchai Mosque to eat and pray before carrying out the planned actions later that afternoon.”
Security protocols at mosques have since been reinforced, with 15 imams stationed throughout the province tasked with supporting surveillance efforts and safeguarding their communities. The Council also provided key evidence to investigators, including vehicle details that assisted police in tracking the suspect’s movements across the island.
“We are not standing by idly. We are working closely with the authorities at every stage, including supporting forensic evidence collection and DNA sampling. We are fully committed to ensuring Phuket’s safety,” Mr Komol added.
The call for unity, and vigilance, follows five devices found at key tourism hotspots last week, with one at Phuket International Airport, two at Patong Beach, two more at Surin Beach and one at the Laem Phromthep viewpoint.
Police have confirmed that none of the devices contained any shrapnel or any amount of explosive that would have caused mass casualties.
The devices were mostly planted at locations away from main public areas.
Following this confirmation by police, Phuket Governor Sophon Suwannarat noted that the devices were not intended to kill.