The people behind the deadly attack at a temple in Narathiwat province last week wanted to upgrade the attention given to the violence in the South to the international level and lure officials into conducting forceful suppression, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said on Monday.

The national police chief has ordered police regional units in Narathiwat to increase security in the province and hunt down the culprits behind the deadly attack at a temple on Friday night.