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Around 18:00 on Sunday evening local time in Bangkok, bombs exploded in several places acccross the Thai capital killing several people and injuring many more. All public Count-Down-Parties across the city has been cancelled.
The first bomb exploded at 17:47. The number of bombs and the size of the damage may be wrongly reported by the sources used for the following report, based on Thai news sources. Feel free to call the mobile phone of Editor Gregers Moller +66 8 1629 0117 if you have corrections or first hand knowledge of any further details.
The bombs reportedly exploded in the following locations:
Victory Monument (in Thai “Anusawari Chai”)
– Time: about 6.30 pm
– The bomb was near a bus station outside the Dok Yai bookstore.
– The bomb was placed in a trashcan
– A tree broke in the explosion
– 15 injured, reported as 9 females and 4 male
– 1 Thai national, Mr. Songkran Kanchana killed as confirmed by authorities
Saphan Kwai
– Near the Big C supermarket
– A witness saw a man dropped a grenade from a pedestrian bridge just over the police box.
– The roof of the police box has a big hole.
– 2 people injured
– 1 person seriously injured.
Seacon Square
– Time 18:42
– 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 to evacuate the mall, one of Bangkok largest, and all shops to close down for business.
– The explosion was at the motorcycle parking lot.
– No injuries reported.
In Seacon Square, a cleaner saw a can of potato chips of the Sprinkle brand. She took it with the intention of eating it, but then noticed there was a cable into the can. She then gave the can to a security guard, Mr. Vitoon Imnapae who took it outside to the small park. Here, he placed it on the ground and walked back to find a tire to lay around it to protect it if it was a bomb. Then it exploded. A person walking neaby got hurt.
Klong Toey
– Bomb exploded at the fresh market near the Na Ranong intersection.
– The bomb was hidden in a trash can near a Chinese spirit shrine exploded.
– The explosion caused a secondary explosion to a number of cookinggas cylinders that were situated nearby.
– 5 people injured, four adults and one girl 12 years hit in the leg
– Update 20.45: 7 injured
– 2 people reportedly killed
Khae Rai
– Bomb exploded at the Khae Rai intersection in Nonthaburi province just north of Bangkok
– The bomb was placed in a trash can near the police box
– No injuries.
– Police said the closed circuit TV monitors went out of action about 3 hours before.
Sukhumvit Soi 62
– Time: 18:30
– The bomb exploded at thre expressway intersection
– Glas shattered in two houses.
– One car which had just come down from the express way was damaged.
– No reported injuries
As the news broke, all department stores in Bangkok asked customers to leave and closed down.
The Bangkok Skytrain system, BTS and the Subway train system, MRT, announced that they would keep running untill 12 midnight the 31 December and open again 6 o’clock.
Thai Airways say they have increased safety measures. More vigil checking of luggage and safety checking onboard the planes. All flights have moved check in times forward to be 2 hours before departure.
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.
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. Later in the evening, Prime Minister Surayudh visited injured people at the Rachawithi Hospital and from there he went to Chulalongkorn Hospital where other injured were hospitalized.
Soldiers manned security check points at several MRT and BTS stations. Througout the city and its suburbs, many road intersections had soldiers deployed.
Elsewhere in Thailand, the news resulted in count down parties to be cancelled in Chiang Mai and Khon Kaen.
Midnight bomb attacks
Close to midnight two more bombs exploded near the main planned count down event outside Central World. Several foreigners were seriously injured. They were taken to Police Hospital and Rachawithi Hospital.
One bomb went off near the bridge over Klong Saen Saep crossing over to Pradoo Nam and the other was near the walk over to the Gaysorn Plaza opposite the square.
Central World at the Pradoo Nam harbour on the Klong Saen Saep
– Time: 00.04
– The bom exploded at the stop for passenger pick up trucks.
– Police say the bomb was hidden in the bumper tire in a car on the pier.
– 7 people injured. 6 people are foreigners, one person Thai.
– Road and intersection has been sealed off.
The Police Hospital informed at 01.10 that the nationalities of the injured were:
Serbia – 2 persons
UK – 1 person
US – 1 person
Hungary – 1 person
Thai – 1 person
Fear gripped the city
As the news spread to the many Thais and foreigners celebrating New Year around the capital, several reports of possible bombs were reported. All were taken serious but fortunately all turned out not to be bombs.
Saphan Kwai BTS station
– Bomb repoprtedly found before it exploded, but not later confirmed.
Yaowarat
– No more news. Probably empty threat.
Macro on Chaengwattana
– Reported bomb said to be an empty threat.
Major Cineplex, Rachayothin
– The bomb was reported at around 21.00
– The bomb was placed in a trashcan on second floor in the car park. No further news, probably empty threat.
Big C on Rajadamri Road
– A suspected bomb in a plastic bag outside a Telewiz shop on 1st floor turned out to contain just garbage.
Khao San Road
– A suspected bomb in Buddy Bar on the famous back packer road turned out to be false alarm.
Lumpini Night Bazaar
– A suspected bomb Bar turned out to be false alarm.
Who did it?
For reports who were behind the attacks, please await official news announcements…
