An army base in terrorism-ravaged southern Thailand was attacked by at least 20 insurgents who used pipe bombs and guns.

CCT captured the alleged attackers as they ran into the military base in Yala province at around 1:40 AM on April 9.

Officials said the Islamic separatists arrived on motorcycles and by foot, before attacking the outpost in Ban Nibong village with automatic rifles, pipe bombs and M79 grenade launchers.

State security forces returned gunfire while calling for reinforcements, who arrived at the scene to engage the insurgents.

The firefight lasted less than an hour, after which the insurgents retreated. Police said that there were no casualties among government forces.

A team of ordnance disposal and forensic officers are due at the scene today, to search for any explosives planted by the insurgents before their retreat.

The police are investigating and reviewing surveillance camera footage to identify the suspects.

Islamic separatist terror attacks target the three southernmost provinces of Thailand next to the border with Mulsim neighbors Malaysia. Thai state employees and infrastructure are often hit.

Officials believe the conflict in Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat dates to a deal in 1909 between the British Empire and Siam to incorporate the Muslim region into the mainland.

The region's culture is more similar to Malaysia and dramatically different to Buddhist Thais causing decades of tension that lead to the emergence of separatist groups fighting for independence in the 1960s.

The struggle has continued ever since with more than 7,290 people killed between January 2004 and October 2021. There were an average of 38.8 incidents and 36.7 casualties a month in 2021, according to data from Deep South Watch.

The British Foreign & Commonwealth Office warns against all but essential travel to the region while Canada's government warns its nationals to 'avoid all travel' to the three provinces.