Bombs in Bangkok

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Bombs in Bangkok

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Bangkok hit by series of blasts, small fires on Friday morning

Aug 02. 2019

Bangkok was hit by a series of bomb blasts and small fires beginning early on Friday, a day after a bomb scare in front of the Royal Thai Police headquarters.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha pleaded with the public on Friday morning not to panic and instructed police to rush to bring those behind a series of bombings in Bangkok to justice, the government spokesman said.

Prayut, who is also the defence minister, additionally ordered police to investigate the incidents and to step up security, and requested that the public report any irregularities that they observe.

The first incident happened at 7.05am in front of the Government Complex in the Chaeng Wattana area.

Officials there heard three explosions. The first two explosions were heard nearly simultaneously, with a third explosion coming a moment later.

The Thung Song Hong police station was at 7:05am alerted to the explosions in the park fronting Building B of the complex in Thung Song Hong sub-district. The explosions damaged trees.

Police cordoned off the area for officers from the explosive ordnance disposal unit to examine the scene and they found that homemade bombs had been used.

No casualties were reported in this incident.

At 8:36am, a further two explosions occurred near Chong Nonsee station on the BTS Skytrain line.

Police said an explosion occurred in front of the Mahanakhon Building near the station, with a second going off in a sidewalk garden under the station.

The blast caused the soil from the spot to spill out onto the sidewalk, as well as creating a crack in a glass panel at the station.

The BTS station closed its Gates 2 and 4 following the explosions.

Police deputy spokesman Pol Colonel Kritsana Pattanacharoen said two people were injured in the Chong Nonsee blasts. One was sent to the Chulalongkorn Hospital, while the other was treated at the scene for slight injuries and let go.

Kritsana said police also found metal pellets at the site of the Chong Nonsee blasts.

Then at 8.50am, two road sweepers in Suan Luang district were injured in an explosion on Soi Rama IX 57/1, a soi off Rama IX road.

After examining the area, police determined that the explosion was caused by a ping-pong bomb.

Earlier in the day, police reported that four small fires had broken out in Pratunam area ahead of a Police Commission meeting, which was scheduled to be chaired by the prime minister at the nearby Royal Thai Police headquarters.

No one was injured by the fires, the causes of which have yet to be determined.

The first fire broke out at 5.18am in a single-storey building on Soi Phetchaburi 19.

Half an hour later, at 5.38am, another fire was spotted at the Indra Regent Hotel on Soi Ratchaprarop in Ratchathevi district.

Then at 5.41am, flames started coming out of a pile of clothes under the Indra Regent Hotel building.

Police said another fire broke out at the Chalerm Larp Market nearby at 7am.

All the incidents followed a bomb scare in front of the Royal Thai Police headquarters on Thursday evening, in which a man dropped two boxes under a Police sign which were later determined to contain fake bombs.

Two suspects were arrested on a bus in Chomphon that originated in Bangkok.

Kritsana, a deputy Police spokesman, said police investigators were checking whether all of the blast incidents were related, as well as if they were also related to the bomb scare incident in front of the Royal Thai police building on Thursday.

https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30374104
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Bombs rattle Bangkok during Asean summit

August 2, 2019

Several bombs exploded in Bangkok on Friday morning, injuring three people, as the city hosted a regional summit also attended by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

A total of six bombs detonated at three locations and one explosive device was recovered before it blew up, a senior police officer told Reuters.

Pol Col Kamtorn Uicharoen said three bombs exploded at the Government Complex in Chaeng Wattana and one failed to go off. Two others went off in the Chong Nonsi area.

"The bombs in these two areas were improvised explosive devices triggered by timer," he said.

A "ping-pong bomb" exploded in the Suan Luang area, he said.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha was told of "the bombing incidents and has ordered an immediate investigation", government spokeswoman Narumon Pinyosinwat said, adding "security measures have been tightened. The public is urged not to panic".

Two women street cleaners were injured by one explosion in a soi off Rama 9 Road, the Erawan Emergency Centre told AFP.

A second explosion shattered glass near a downtown skyscraper, emergency police said.

Bomb disposal experts were deployed around the Mahanakorn Tower -- owned by the King Power group that counts Leicester City football club among its assets.

A message posted on the prime minister's Facebook on Friday said, “I condemn the mastermind behind this morning’s bomb blasts, which destroy people and the country’s image. I have asked officials to beef up security for members of the public and take urgent care of those affected by the explosions.’’

"Security measures have been tightened. The public is urged not to panic," government spokeswoman Narumon Pinyosinwat said.

Small devices exploded at several locations across the city.

They appeared to be symbolic attacks aimed at embarrassing the government during the major summit but not designed to cause mass casualties.

"Three people received slight injuries from shrapnel," said Renu Suesattaya, director of Suanluang district, where the first explosions were reported.

"I received a report that they are 'ping pong bombs' hidden in bushes by the road."

"We do not know yet how many people are involved," Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon told reporters, adding that "people who do it want to stir the situation".

The bombings took place just before a keynote speech by Pompeo, who is attending the meeting of Association of Southeast Asian Nations foreign ministers.

The government urged the media to avoid speculation on the motive for the bombings.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/world/17234 ... ean-summit
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Re: Bombs in Bangkok

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Security Alert – U.S. Embassy Bangkok: Explosions at Various Locations in Bangkok, Thailand

Locations: Various locations

Event: Explosions and Suspicious Devices, Friday, August 2, 2019

The U.S. Embassy confirms several small explosions occurred the morning of August 2, 2019 at the following locations in the central business district and outlying areas of Bangkok: the stairs of Chong Nonsi BTS Station, in front of the Mahanakohn Building-King Power, the Chaengwattana Government Complex, Rama IX road, and the Office of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defense in Nonthaburi. Unexploded devices were discovered by authorities at the following locations during the same period: the Administrative Court building in the Chaengwattana Complex.

There are several reported injuries. No U.S. citizens have been reported as affected, however.

In addition, on the afternoon of August 1, 2019, two suspicious devices were found outside the Royal Thai Police (RTP) headquarters on Rama I road, near the Ratchaprasong shopping district.

Local police and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams are responding to the events and two suspects are reportedly in custody.

Bangkok and nearby locations have seen sporadic, small-scale bombings in recent years. In most cases, the bombings do not appear intended to cause casualties, but are intended to send political messages during high-visibility events, or political transition periods.

Actions to Take:

Stay alert, exercise caution, and be aware of your surroundings.
Notify friends and family of your safety.
Monitor local media for updates.
Follow instructions of Thai authorities.

Assistance:

U.S. Embassy Bangkok, Thailand
American Citizens Services
+66 2 205 4049
+66 2 205 4000 (after hours)
[email protected]
State Department – Consular Affairs
+1 888 407 4747 or +1 202 501 4444
Thailand Country Information
Enroll in Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security updates
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter

https://th.usembassy.gov/security-alert ... nd-080219/
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