Powerful blast hits building in Nonthaburi, killing 3

[hhfarang]

From The Nation...

A powerful blast rocks a five-story apartment building in Nonthaburi's Bang Bua Thong district on Monday evening, killing at least three and injuring many others.

Police claimed the explosion broke out in a room on the second floor of the Saman Mettha Apartment building at about 6am.

The explosion severely destroyed the second and first floors of the buildings.

The impact of the explosion caused panic that the building could be collapsed.

The injured people were rushed to hospitals nearby. Some of them were said to be thrown out of the building in the blast.

Owner of the building; Samarn Bunprasert, told police that he did not know who rented the room where police believed that the blast started.

The explosion happened hours after the state of emergency was extended in the province as well as Bangkok, Pathum Thani and Samut Prakarn.

Nonthaburi has been a stronghold of Pheu Thai MP Apiwan Wiriyachai who is also deputy House Speaker. Apiwan is a leading red shirt leader who took stage several times to cristicise Abhisit government during the April and May Crisis.

[sandman67]

bomb factory goes boom.....happened in N Ireland, happens in Middle East and S America....its the inevitable result of a room full of cowardly idiots and explosives.

The bad bit is it also usually kills innocents.

The real kicker is of course that the Reds, despite the Emergency Decree being in place, are having one of their shabby little rub yer nose in the doodoo cavalcades in Bangers on Sunday.

Guess its time for them to sabotage this tourist season as well eh?

[Spitfire]

Yeah, smells of premature explosion, strange location, probably where they were making it. From the info, seems like a friendly area, political wise, to put this thing together.

How can the owner not know who was renting the apartment, should have names, even if false? Don't keep any records and can rent anonymously, eh? Smells of porkies to me.

[sandman67]

the clue is the number of gas cylinders they found full of fertiliser

its a old IRA trick from the 70s....the same one they used to launch those IED "mortars" at No10 Downing Street. Those were old oxy acet welding cylinders.

Barrel bombs was what they used to be called as another favorite was an old ally beer barrel.

Its got buggered up bomb lab written all over it, and given the red involvement of the renter and landlord its also now pretty clear who is setting off all the bombs in Bangers.

[PeteC]

Remember this thread? http://www.huahinafterdark.com/forum/vi ... =7&t=16062

Well, my first time Thailand tourists are now having second, third and fourth thoughts. I gave them the links to the Post and Nation to keep current and familiarize themselves with Thailand, and perhaps that was a mistake. But, best they know and make a decision on fact and not rumours.

There is no way they are alone. I think this high season will be lousy regardless of the hype the TAT is putting out. One more incident that gets big press between now and Christmas and it's curtains IMO. Pete

[hhfarang]

Related articles:

Bomb went off accidentally

Detonator was triggered prematurely: ordnance expert; Police say technique similar to bombs found at other sites in city

The powerful explosion at a Nonthaburi apartment building on Tuesday resulted from the accidental detonation of explosives during assembly of home-made bombs, a senior police ordnance man told a press conference yesterday.

In Room 202 of the Samarn Metta Mansion, a bomb-maker was trying to connect electronic circuits to two home-made devices, one using an air-conditioner coolant tank and the other using a fire extinguisher as housings, after they were filled with fertiliser-based material and gunpowder, said Pol Lt-Colonel Kamthorn Ui-jaroen.

"Somehow the detonator of one of the two bombs was triggered prematurely, resulting in the explosion," the officer said at a press conference held at the Army headquarters on behalf of the government's Centre for Resolu-tion of the Emergency Situation.

Another officer, Pol Colonel Tawatchai Mekprasertsuk, said the assembly technique of both bombs was similar to that of bombs found at various locations in Bangkok: at Santiras Witthayalai School, near Nang Lerng racecourse, at The Mall Ngarmwong-wan, and at the Public Health Ministry.

"But there is no evidence indicating that these assembly methods were employed in incidents in the deep South," he added.

At least four people were killed by the blast. The fourth body, partly charred and with the face mutilated beyond recognition, was retrieved yesterday from underneath Room 202. Pending an autopsy and verification of the victim's identity, it is not known whether it was a pro-red man who rented the room two weeks ago.

However, the identity card of Samai Wongsuwan, a staunch red supporter who was on the run after facing indictments in Chiang Mai for attempted murder and possession of explosives, was found in a shirt pocket. His wife Buakham Muangma told police he had disappeared three months ago after returning home once when the red protests in Bangkok ended in May.

Police chief Pol General Wichean Potephosree, speaking at another press conference, said the circuits found in the room could be timed to trigger a device within hours or even a week. He confirmed that the way batteries were connected as well as the use of fire extinguishers and air-conditioner coolant tanks linked the Nonthaburi device to the four incidents in Bangkok referred to by Tawatchai.

He also said security-camera footage showed a man exiting Room 202 not long before the explosion.

Nonthaburi provincial police chief Pol Maj-General Supphakij Srijantha-ranont said people living near the apartment building said they saw a middle-aged woman in a Muslim headscarf visiting Samai, but there had not yet been any evidence linking the insurgency in the South with a gold-coloured Toyota pickup truck with a Narathiwat licence plate he was using.

Police found an AK-47 assault rifle with two loaded magazines in a bag in the room, a number of compact discs titled "The New Thai State", two air-con coolant tanks in good condition, and a large bag of urea-based fertiliser. Witnesses told police Samai brought three bags into his room on Tuesday afternoon, before the explosion occurred, at around 5.30pm.

A Department of Special Investiga-tion (DSI) source yesterday warned of "escalation in violence now by the men in black through underground operations" - from incidents previously aimed merely at causing disruption to an increase in the scale of the violence.

The DSI and the police have not found links between the bombing and 11 men apprehended after alleged weapons training at a Chiang Mai resort.

Chamlong Srimuang, a leader of the People's Alliance for Democracy, an arch-rival of the red-shirt movement, said he believed there would be no violent attacks during a PAD gathering today to mark a clash with police two years ago. A large number of PAD supporters are expected to gather at the Royal Plaza early today before they move to the ASTV compound at 10am, and stay there until 8pm.

The Pheu Thai Party, which is allied to the red-shirt movement, called for fairness from society before fingering it over the Nonthaburi bomb.

-- The Nation 2010-10-07

Family of dead bomber to get Bt400,000 relief payment
By The Nation

The government is obligated, under the relief regulations issued by emergency rule, to compensate for victims and relatives in violence incidents even though one of the victims is a suspected bomber killed in the Bang Bua Thong blast by the bomb he made.

"The rules on relief payments are designed to compensate the victims without any biases on the role of each victim," Social Development and Human Security Minister Issara Somchai said on Thursday.

Suspected bomber Samai Wongsuwan was killed when the bomb went off accidentally on Tuesday's evening at an apartment building, inflicting four deaths and nine injuries.

Issara said under the relief package, the surviving relatives of four dead victims would entitled to receive Bt400,000 payment each.

The injured needing morethan 20 of hospitalisation would get Bt100,000 each and those with less than 20-day of hosipital stay would receive Bt60,000 each. Those injured without hospitalisation would get Bt20,000 each.

-- The Nation 2010-10-07

[PeteC]

This kind of tells the tale, doesn't it. Also note the sub story at the link concerning training in Cambodia. Pete

House secretary linked to blast
B50,000 transferred to Nonthaburi suspect

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/2 ... d-to-blast

* Published: 12/10/2010 at 12:00 AM
* Newspaper section: News

A secretary to a lower house committee chaired by a Puea Thai Party MP has admitted she transferred 50,000 baht to a suspect in the explosion at a Nonthaburi apartment last Tuesday, a police source says.

The source said Wasa Theprin, 25, was held for questioning by police yesterday after they found her at a house belonging to Puea Thai MP for Phayao Wisut Chai-narun in the northern province.

Ms Wasa allegedly became scared and went to Mr Wisut's house after news broke that she might be sought for questioning in the blast investigation.

Police have not pressed charges against her, the source said.

* Related: 'Chiang Mai 11' claim they trained in Cambodia

Other investigative sources said there was evidence Ms Wasa had transferred 50,000 baht to an account belonging to Kasi Ditthanarat, one of two suspects wanted in connection with the deadly explosion at Saman Metta Mansion apartment in Nonthaburi's Bang Bua Thong municipality last Tuesday in which four people were killed and nine injured.

Ms Wasa is a secretary to a lower house committee chaired by Mr Wisut dealing with money laundering and drugs.

Mr Wisut is one of a group of individuals and companies that was blacklisted by the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation for allegedly financing the recent red shirt protest. He was later removed from the blacklist as no evidence was found to incriminate him.

Mr Wisut said yesterday he had recommended Ms Wasa for the job as secretary to the house committee. Ms Wasa is a responsible person and is his daughter's friend, he said.

Mr Wisut demanded that Ms Wasa be treated justly as there was no proof she was linked with the blast.

He said he was aware of how the money transfer had been made.

A man asked Ms Wasa at parliament to transfer the money to Mr Kasi. The man paid Ms Wasa 500 baht to make the transaction for him, Mr Wisut said, adding the man was not an MP.

Mr Wisut said he knew who the man was but refused to disclose his identity.

He said Ms Wasa was scared and had gone into hiding with a friend.

Mr Wisut dismissed claims he was linked with the blast and said he did not know Mr Kasi.

"I am confident Ms Wasa and the man who asked her to transfer the money are innocent," Mr Wisut said.

"If they had been actually involved [in the blast], they would not have done it openly."

The MP said opponents of his Puea Thai Party had tried to link the explosion to him and the party to try to tarnish their image.

Mr Wisut is known to be part of the red shirt movement led by the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship and plays an active part in organising UDD activities in Phayao.

Democrat Party MP for Chon Buri Pramuan Aimpia, who sits on the house committee, said he would raise the issue at a committee meeting on Thursday and Mr Wisut must provide an explanation.

The incident could have adverse repercussions for the image of the committee, Mr Pramuan said.

He said if police found Ms Wasa had committed an offence, she must be dismissed from the committee and Mr Wisut must shoulder responsibility and step down as head of the committee as he had recommended her for the job.

Department of Special Investigation director-general Tharit Pengdit said the apartment explosion in Nonthaburi had been accepted as a special case as there was evidence it involved an act of terrorism.

Mr Tharit said the DSI would trace the money trail to find out who was involved in the explosion.

Senate speaker and vice parliament president Prasobsuk Boondej said checks had found Ms Wasa worked for the house panel. She is not a civil servant.

[sandman67]

PT = Sinn Fein

lying cowardly terrorist scum who hide their bloody red hands behind parliamentary immunity and snigger at the funerals of innocent civilians

end of argument

[Khundon1975]

Silly girl. I bet she would carry someone else's cases through customs for Baht 500 as well.

[hhfarang]

Latest episode in this who-done-it...

Mansion bomb case reaching crucial turn
By Tulsathit Taptim

The big question is not whether Wasa Theprian, the woman who has become somewhat entangled in the Samarn Metta Mansion bomb incident, will emerge to face reporters today.

As this article is being written, uncertainties still shroud her MP boss's proclaimed plan to let her "tell all on Friday", but whether or not she will appear today is not as important as the first thing she will be asked whenever she does surface.

"Who asked you to transfer the money?"

Her answer to that will have great bearing on Thai politics. Her boss, Pheu Thai MP Visut Chai-narun, who chairs the House committee on narcotics and money-laundering, looked a much happier man yesterday thanks to the emergence of another key character in the widening Nonthaburi bomb episode.

Police said they had evidence that Wasa transferred tens of thousands of baht to the bank account of Kasi Ditthanarat, a suspect in the bomb case. As Wasa was Visut's close aide - she was recruited by him to work as secretary of the House committee - the MP has been in hot water. That the money was transferred from one of Parliament's banking facilities did not help.

If Wasa comes out and says it was not Visut who asked her to transfer the money, it will take much of the heat off the Pheu Thai man. But her story needs to be convincing.

Visut yesterday sounded relieved when he said Wasa had been asked by a "businessman" to transfer the money to Kasi. That had been his side of the story since the news broke on the cash transfer, but he appeared thankful that the "businessman" did exist.

For Wasa, it's far from over. What she tells the police or the news media will be put under a microscope - her relations with the "businessman", his reasons for the cash transfer, his reasons to have her do it, her reasons to help him, etc.

Unconfirmed reports said the businessman in question had been located and held for questioning. Confusion over the past few days also revolved around whether Wasa was in police custody, or whether she was hiding somewhere.

Visut yesterday suggested she had been with the police. That was a bit of a surprise. He had said that the young woman, frightened, was staying with a friend but she would eventually emerge to "say all on Friday".

Another mystery is Kasi's whereabouts. Kom Chad Luek reported yesterday that police already had him, but no confirmation could be given. Given that police investigators have been acting strangely lately when it comes to politically related crimes, anything is possible.

The Nonthaburi bomb case has come to dominate the Thai political divide. Red shirts' opponents use the incident to underline claims that the movement has gone way too far, dangerously so, whereas red leaders have indicated the blast was a set-up either by the government or a non-red third party attempting to torpedo reconciliation efforts.

That a red-shirt hardliner, fleeing an arrest warrant, was killed in the bombing was a setback to the movement as a whole, but the damage could multiply if a pro-red politician with a big position in Parliament was linked to another suspect in the same incident. And this kind of blow may not be just political, as it could land the whole Pheu Thai Party in new legal threats that could lead to anything, including party dissolution.

Wasa must have found herself not just in the middle of a major criminal case, but a key character in a key political episode. Whatever she says may make some people heave a collective sigh of relief, or create shock waves across the political landscape.

-- The Nation 2010-10-15