Twelve explosions rock Southern Thailand in less than 24 hours
Thai police and soldiers inspecting an area in Bangkok. Photo: Policespokesmen / Facebook.
A string of explosions rocked five provinces in Southern Thailand early on Friday, targeting government offices, markets and tourist destinations.
On Thursday, one person was killed and six others were injured in a explosion that hit a shopping mall in Trang, on late Thursday two explosions rocked Hua Hin town, killing a female street vendor and injuring 23 people, including foreign tourists.
Early on Friday a wave of coordinated bomb attacks hit Bangla Road and Patong Beach in Phuket, and a market in Phang Nga province. One person was killed and other three injured when two bombs exploded in Surat Thani. Minutes afterwards the earlier attacked Hua Hin was struck again with two more blasts. In Hua Hin shopping centers and tourist areas were closed and authorities told residents to remain at home as special forces from police and army are combing the city searching for unexploded bombs. Also, the Krabi Night Market has been shut down for three days.
Four Thais were killed and others 35 injured in the multiple attacks, among them foreign tourists from Italy, Germany, the Netherlands and Austria.
Police have arrested a two suspects in Hua Hin and Trang and are interrogating them. A police spokesman said that the blasts had “no links to unrest in the Deep South or with ISIS,” and the national police chief believes the attacks are “related to referendum.” However, some international media suggested that the attacks were similar to the ones carried out by the Muslim insurgents in the South.
During a television appearance today, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha told people to stay calm and to alert police on anything they deem suspicious. He also ordered the security to be stepped up in cities, public areas, government sites and tourist destinations. Foreign embassies in Thailand urged citizens to be cautious.
Twitter was flooded with images and stories of the attacks.
A series of bomb blasts hit southern #Thailand’s tourist resorts killing at least three people, injuring dozens. pic.twitter.com/sh3U2Z0BjB
— AJ+ (@ajplus) August 12, 2016
#Terror in #Thailand: Explosions hit tourist hotspots #Tourists reacting after a bomb blast in #HuaHin #Bangkok pic.twitter.com/vS8EgqWKtk
— Elsir Majid (@XeerSaeed) August 12, 2016
Many shown his affection for Thailand.
Terrible news from #Phuket and #HuaHin – I've been to both places. Thoughts with the good people of Thailand https://t.co/aSkbfCQcJm
— Total Crime (@totalcrime) August 12, 2016
Sad times for the people caught up in Hua Hin (Thailand) with the recent bomb attacts.
I was there last year in the place where it happened— Phil Grainger (@music_phil_i_am) August 12, 2016
Thai Authorities have ruled out International terrorism as the cause of the series of bomb attacks.
