Huge explosion rocks central Bangkok

[Khundon1975]

Thanks once again, to all the forum members who have posted their good wishes.

I have not had a good drink for over a year, but tonight will be an exception.

[pharvey]

I have not had a good drink for over a year, but tonight will be an exception.

And fair play to you!! You deserve it!!

[arcadianagain]

Thailand's defence minister, Prawit Wongsuwong, said this bomb, 'had targeted foreigners'.

There's been bits on the BBC saying the same. To be honest I'm at a loss to understand who and why would target "foreigners". Am I missing something big style here....?

Living, as I do, about half a mile from the Tunisian beach where the shootings took place the idea of these scum is to attract as much world-wide attention as possible and to try to cause damage to a country`s tourist industry. We read daily of car bombs going off in Iraq, Syria but they only make the inside pages.
Glad to hear your good news Khundon.

[pharvey]

Thailand's defence minister, Prawit Wongsuwong, said this bomb, 'had targeted foreigners'.

There's been bits on the BBC saying the same. To be honest I'm at a loss to understand who and why would target "foreigners". Am I missing something big style here....?

Living, as I do, about half a mile from the Tunisian beach where the shootings took place the idea of these scum is to attract as much world-wide attention as possible and to try to cause damage to a country`s tourist industry. We read daily of car bombs going off in Iraq, Syria but they only make the inside pages.
Glad to hear your good news Khundon.

Very fair point - could it be the same pr*cks i.e. IS or supporters? I see no-one as yet has taken responsibility.

[buksida]

Death toll rises to 19 according to Aljazeera, no speculation on who is responsible ...

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/08/d ... 25802.html

[Takiap]

Thailand's defence minister, Prawit Wongsuwong, said this bomb, 'had targeted foreigners'.

There's been bits on the BBC saying the same. To be honest I'm at a loss to understand who and why would target "foreigners". Am I missing something big style here....?

Tourists were the target in Tunisia as well. Hammer tourists in a country like Thailand, and you hit the economy big time. Personally I don't think this latest event has anything to do with religion as it does in some other parts of the world. Instead, I'm guessing this is a politically motivated crime, and as someone else has already said, if the perps are not caught, I think we may see more similar repeats. Obviously I hope I'm wrong.

[HHTel]

If tourists were the target, the perps would have picked from many better locations. Khowsan Road for example or one of the many tourist resorts/sites. The defence minister, as usual with this government, says the first thing that comes into his head without giving it any thought. Bearing in mind this is a site that has been previously used for political purposes points to the fact that this also was politically motivated. It doesn't take a genius to work that out!

[PeteC]

As we do our Sherlock Holmes impersonations in coming days, lets not forget the human traffickers and fishing fleet owners both of whom have been gutted financially, and will continue to be. They have lost millions ($) and are perhaps new to any large scale revenge game, possibly resulting in this "unusual style" as the police put it. Pete

[JamesWest]

Arab-like man seen leaving bag at Erawan shrine before explosion:

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakin ... 66819.html

[PeteC]

...and in this article from a few minutes ago we have:....".....Prayut said the suspect was believed to be from an "anti-government group based in Thailand's northeast" -- the heartland of the kingdom's Red Shirt movement that opposes the military junta...."

http://news.yahoo.com/thai-junta-chief- ... 17780.html

Roadblocks are set up throughout the NE checking all vehicles coming and going.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/securit ... -northeast

[Takiap]

Well, if they have set up road blocks throughout the Northeast we have nothing to worry about.

So, am I right, having read through the last few posts, that we are looking for an Arab-like man in a red shirt who lives in the Northeast?


Let's just hope this is not the beginning of something we've never seen in Thailand before. As most of us know, people have often let off fireworks down south, and of course one or two tiny crackers in Bangkok, but this latest bang was a serious bang and it was clearly meant to cause real damage rather scare people.

[JamesWest]

http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/massiv ... mb-suspect

A massive manhunt is now underway by the police and the military for an Arabian looking man after a video footage of a surveillance camera showed him placed a shoulder bag inside the fence where hundreds of visitors to the Erawan shrine were worshipping, and explosion followed a minute after he left.

[Frank Hovis]

Bangkok Post image of the suspect can be found at http://www.bangkokpost.com/media/conten ... 164332.jpg

What are those weird wrist/arm cuff things he's wearing? Is that something that's fashionable here?

[Takiap]

If tourists were the target, the perps would have picked from many better locations. Khowsan Road for example or one of the many tourist resorts/sites. The defence minister, as usual with this government, says the first thing that comes into his head without giving it any thought. Bearing in mind this is a site that has been previously used for political purposes points to the fact that this also was politically motivated. It doesn't take a genius to work that out!

Khaosan Road is back packer county so maybe deemed less significant. This bang was near a 5 start hotel in an area which is popular with locals and foreigners alike. Also, in places like Khaosan Road there are literally thousands of camera and nearly as many undercover police so maybe considered too much of a risk.

Whatever the motive is/was, it is certainly not going to boost tourism numbers. It wouldn't put me off, and no doubt millions of others feel the same way, but it will still put some people off, and especially if there are more bombs in the coming weeks or months.

Also, the press will no doubt milk this for all it's worth.

[STEVE G]

Let's just hope this is not the beginning of something we've never seen in Thailand before. As most of us know, people have often let off fireworks down south, and of course one or two tiny crackers in Bangkok, but this latest bang was a serious bang and it was clearly meant to cause real damage rather scare people.

It's interesting that the investigation into the last couple of bomb incidents in Bangkok never went anywhere, it just seemed to get swept under the carpet after a couple of weeks. This from a regime that is still arresting students for making harmless demonstrations over a year a go and giving out 30 year jail sentences for Facebook posts.