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[triplegee]

King Dong, on 2006-12-31 20:14:02, said:

3 people dead in all of BKK, you have more chance of being hit by a new year pissed up bus/car driver...  

Still 3 too many.

And the "chances" have gone up in the last hour or so....

[Thaising]

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont has asked people to refrain from joining crowded new year party following at least seven bomb attacks in Bangkok.

Thai New Agency quoted Surayud as asking people wishing to join new year party on Sunday night to avoid crowded areas.

The premier has ordered all security officers; police and soldiers, to reinforce in many areas in Bangkok. He ordered crime scene inspectors to collect all evidences from the attack scenes in order to know which groups mastermind the attacks.

[qualtrough]

The failure of the communists to make much progress during the 70 and 80s has been attributed by some to their decision not to carry out their struggle in Bangkok. If these bombings do turn out to be the work of southern separatists then it will mean that they have decided not to make the same mistake. Too early to know, and it could well be the same people burning schools in the NE that some link to Taksin supporters.

[Thaising]

Old power clique suspected of being behind Bangkok bomb attacks: source

A security source at the Government House said the old power clique was behind the simultaneous bomb attacks in Bangkok.

The source from an intelligence agency said the intelligence agencies had learnt about the plan of the old clique to create disturbance toward the year end.

The source said Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont was on the standby in Bangkok because he expected the attacks.

The Nation

[andy1308]

The Police Commander is on TV right now addressing a Press Conference, and has said that the Central World celebrations will be going on, although security will obviously be much tighter.

[tessadog]

So what is the sentence that these terrorists can expect if caught? Death or a slap on the wrists. I just spoke to friends in Bangkok and they are all going to party at home. Good idea.

[george]

ITV now confirms two dead.
Picture just in from the news feed:

Attached Files

•  bangkok_bombs.jpg   39.3K   114 downloads

[JacknDanny]

Hey Im no Muslim lover, but the Police boss on Tv right now is saying it is NOT from the insurgants in the South

[loong]

Peace and Goodwill to all men
Why can't these maniacs take a holiday.

[julie_f]

520 user reading this topic. Doesn't sound like many people are out now.

[Jai Dee]

Rash of bombs hits Bangkok, 20 wounded

BANGKOK (Reuters) - At least six small bombs have exploded in Bangkok, wounding more than 20 people, police said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the bombs, which went off within about an hour and included one planted under a seat at a bus stop outside a shopping mall which wounded 15 people, two seriously, they said.

"There was a big bang and people started screaming and running. I saw people with blood all over their legs and faces," said Chalermsak Sanbee, 17, who was standing near the bus stop.

Another went off near a police booth, wounding two people, and a third was placed in a trash can at a market in the port district and wounded five, including a 10-year-old child, police said.

The bomb outside the shopping mall near the Victory Monument in the center of the Thai capital appeared to have caused the largest number of injuries, they said.

Another went off in the parking lot of a shopping mall on the road to Bangkok's new airport and police closed the center down, but plans for the New Year countdown in the city's main shopping district were going ahead with increased security.

Militants in the Muslim-majority three southern provinces of Thailand near the Malaysian border have used the tactic of setting of a series of bombs over a short space of time in towns in the region.

They are not known to have launched attacks outside the region so far despite constant fears they would.

More than 1,800 people have been killed in the latest separatist insurgency in the far south, where most people speak a Malay dialect, since it erupted on January 4 2004.

Source: Reuters - 31 December 2006

[george]

PM asks people to avoid crowded parties

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont has asked people to refrain from joining crowded new year party following at least seven bomb attacks in Bangkok.

Thai New Agency quoted Surayud as asking people wishing to join new year party on Sunday night to avoid crowded areas.

The premier has ordered all security officers; police and soldiers, to reinforce in many areas in Bangkok. He ordered crime scene inspectors to collect all evidences from the attack scenes in order to know which groups mastermind the attacks.

Seven explosives went off almost simultaneously in Bangkok, killing two and injuring at least 20 people, as the revellers were about to start celebrating the New Year's eve.

One people were killed and 20 injured at the Victory Monument when a powerful bomb went off near a bus station at about 6.30 pm. The bomb ripped through the bus stops, shattered windows at the nearby restaurant and sending debris in all directions.

Another person was killed near the Klong Toei area near the Na Ranong intersection, around the same time, a bomb hidden in a trash can near a Chinese spirit shrine exploded and injured three pedestrians. The explosion caused a secondary explosion to a number of cookinggas cylinders that were situated nearby.

One person was seriously injured near the Big C supermarket at the Sapan Kwai branch where witnesses saw a man dropped a grenade from a pedestrian bridge onto the police box. Residue of C4 and TNT were found at the scene, an iTV reporter said, quoting an unnamed military source.

At the Seacon Square Shopping Mall, a loud explosion went off at the parking space, creating a panic but no injury. Authorities ordered all shoppers, about 10,000 at the time, to evacuate the mall, one of Bangkok largest, and all shops to close down for business.

A police box at the entrance of Sukhumvit Road, Soi 62 was also hit with a bomb. No injury was reported.

Another police box was hit near the Khae Rai intersection in Nonthaburi province just north of Bangkok with a bomb but not injury reported said Police spokesman Pol General Ajiravid Subarnbhesaj said.

A bomb went off in the compound of the Tesco Lotus Supermarket at the Prachachuen branch.

Soldiers were dispatched to some of the sites where the bombs went off, while other major shopping complex, including the Central Chidlom and Siam Paragon department stores, closed its door earlier.

Deputy Governor of Bangkok, Wallop Suwandee, announced that all the events designated for the New Year's even countdown celebration have been cancelled.

Government's spokesman Yongyuth Malyalarp urged the public to remain calm, adding that police officers have been instructed to stay on high alert, including areas where high concentration of people are expected to take part in the New Year's count down.

"Police reinforcement have been sent to various areas in the city. We urged the public to remain calm, continue with the celebration but at the same time keep a look out for any irregularities," Yongyuth said.

-- The Nation 2006-12-31

[andy1308]

Sadly this will be another reason for people outside Thailand to look at the kingdom and decide not to travel/invest, certainly in the short term. I have a friend in the travel business and she is already fielding calls from worried clients wanting to cancel and postpone their plans. Regardless of who is responsible, the damage will be the same and is already starting to happen.
That's not to take away from the deaths and/or injuries in any way - they are bad enough on their own.

[lopburi3]

This is a serious news item - please keep posts out of the speculation and accusation modes.  Thanks.  

((A number of off language posts have been removed))

[britmaveric]

Too early to rule any groups out I'm afraid.

[londonthai]

if it's not southerners than it's inside security services job - there is no political group in thailand in opposition to government which uses violence

[razino]

Calm down....and take precautions...whatever necessary...

[Jai Dee]

Emergency medical service staff at Rajchavithee Hospital tend to a wounded person following a bomb attack at nearby Victory Monument.

Source: The Nation - 31 December 2006

[kayo]

Good attitude Money Shot, in both your posts here.

I'd be right there with you if I was in BKK. (you er.. do still carry that big gun, don't you...just in case we spot suspicious people...    )


To BKK... Sadly, it was only a matter of time. If not the insurgents, then toxin's crew... Whoever is doing this, it is disgraceful, distasteful, and a major loss of face for those responsable.

[britmaveric]

columbo, on 2006-12-31 20:42:50, said:

CNN is hyping this out worldwide right now. So much for tourism this year. A ton of crazy things going on now: stock mkt crashes, currency controls, bombs, what next? Why would anyone choose this as a vacation spot?

Love of Thailand!!!

[andy1308]

columbo, on 2006-12-31 14:42:50, said:

CNN is hyping this out worldwide right now. So much for tourism this year. A ton of crazy things going on now: stock mkt crashes, currency controls, bombs, what next? Why would anyone choose this as a vacation spot?

Agreed - 'bombs rip through Bangkok' was their initial headline unless I am mistaken. It's still too early to assess what has actually happened - but I think that headline is totally over the top from what appears to have happened so far.

[OxfordWill]

The timing is curious.. it seems like they set bombs off before the night really began, so is it just a way to try and ruin celebrations without actually killing too many people?

If you wanted to kill people, you would wait until at least 11.

[razino]

Old power clique suspected of being behind Bangkok bomb attacks: source

A security source at the Government House said the old power clique was behind the simultaneous bomb attacks in Bangkok.

The source from an intelligence agency said the intelligence agencies had learnt about the plan of the old clique to create disturbance toward the yearend.

The source said Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont was on the standby in Bangkok because he expected the attacks.

The Nation

[Jai Dee]

Old power clique suspected of being behind Bangkok bomb attacks: source

A security source at the Government House said the old power clique was behind the simultaneous bomb attacks in Bangkok.

The source from an intelligence agency said the intelligence agencies had learnt about the plan of the old clique to create disturbance toward the yearend.

The source said Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont was on the standby in Bangkok because he expected the attacks.

Source: The Nation - 31 December 2006

[andy1308]

BBC - BANGKOK HIT BY SERIES OF BLASTS

At least 12 people have been hurt in a series of small bomb blasts in the Thai capital, Bangkok, police say.

The blasts took place within 90 minutes of each other, with the first one at the Victory Monument in the centre.

Further explosions were reported at two police posts in Bangkok's northern suburbs and in the Klong Tuey area.

Thailand's prime minister was ousted in a military coup in September while the country's south has seen a wave of attacks blamed on Muslim separatists.

Police are investigating suspicious packages found at another six locations in the capital, a police spokesman told the iTV television network.

The blasts took place in widely-dispersed locations in the late afternoon, as the Thai capital was preparing to celebrate the New Year.

The bomb outside the Victory Monument appeared to have caused the most injuries, police said.

According to the BBC's Jonathan Head in Bangkok, the explosions do not appear to have had a specific target.

A police spokesman told the BBC the blasts were being treated as an internal matter - implying that they did not suspect any link to Muslim insurgents in the south.

Our correspondent says many Thais suspect the bombs were the work of opponents of the current military government, which forced Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra from office.

He says bombs are rare in the Thai capital and security is largely relaxed.