According to Harian Metro, the sounds are believed to have originated from the Sungai Golok district of Thailand’s Narathiwat province.

Zaidi Abdullah, 42, said he was asleep at his home, just several metres away from Sungai Golok, when he was awakened by a loud boom, followed by what sounded like an exchange of gunfire.

He immediately suspected that something had occurred in the neighbouring country, and decided that he and his family should stay put at home.

Zaidi said the sound of explosions and gunfire stopped for several minutes before resuming, and that other residents then took to Facebook over the noise.

“Since my house is near Sungai Golok, these incidents have become a norm. But at the same time, there is still some fear for our safety,” he said.

There are no news reports on any incidents in Thailand so far but several videos have been posted on social media capturing the sound of explosions.