The Thai military detained five students without arrest warrants while carrying out a search and collected DNA samples from another group of students in the restive deep south.

According to Wartani, military and security officers from the Southern Border Provinces Police Operation Centre (SBPPOC) stormed into Darussalam Foundation School in Bang Kaew District of southern Phatthalung Province at around 10.20 am on Tuesday and detained five students without arrest warrants.

The five were senior students from the Islam Wittaya Foundation (IVM), who were organising a youth camp for university students in the deep south. They are natives of the southern province of Yala.

Security officers detain five students from the Islam Wittaya Foundation (IVM) at a school in Phatthalung on the morning of 2 June 2015 (courtesy from Wartani).   

After the arrest, the five students, Saror Masila, Hanafi Jaesmojae, Bruhan Niloh, Rafaee Jarawea, and Ruslee Matha, were brought to the district police station before being sent to Wang Phaya paramilitary base in Raman District of Yala at around 5.20 pm, Wartani reported.

The officers also carried out an extensive search at the school where the youth camp took place.

On the same day, according to the Free Voice Facebook page, run by students based in the southern province of Pattani, a man with the Facebook identity of Abdul Razak posted that at 5 pm on Tuesday about 50 military and police officers carried out a search at the office of the Federation of Pattani Student and Youth (permas) and student dormitories in Mueang District of Yala, citing martial law.

Abdul added that the officers took DNA samples and pictures of 13 students during the operation.

At around 6.20 pm, Thai PBS reported that the 13 students were released. However, the security officers confiscated their mobile phones and computers.