WHAT’S THE STORY?

A BOMB blast in Bangkok that killed at least 22 people, one of them a British national, and injured 123 could be the start of an orchestrated campaign of terror, it is feared.

The blast on Monday – described as the “worst ever attack” on Thailand – was followed yesterday by another two attacks that narrowly failed to cause any casualties.

An explosion near a bridge across the busy Chao Praya river was followed by another near Bangkok railway station but no one was killed or injured.

The incidents have sparked concern that the Erawan shrine bombing is the beginning of a campaign targeting packed commercial and tourist areas.

Thai police said yesterday they were closer to discovering who is behind Monday’s attack after chilling video footage from CCTV cameras was found showing a young man in a yellow T-shirt leaving a black backpack near the spot where the bomb went off at about 7pm local time.

Confirming the man is a key suspect in what Thai police believe is “an act of domestic terrorism”, police spokesman Prawouth Thawornsiri said: “He travelled alone. He arrived at the crime scene, the Ratchaprasong intersection by the shrine, by tuk-tuk. Then he left by motorcycle taxi.”

The British national who died is said to be a female resident of Hong Kong. Yesterday Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted: “Deeply saddened to hear a British national was killed in the horrific Bangkok bombing.

“My thoughts are with her family and all those affected.”

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said: “Foreign Office officials are in close contact with the Thai authorities and have offered UK assistance in the investigation of this abhorrent act.


“British nationals in Thailand should check the Foreign Office website for the latest travel advice.”

Hong Kong has raised its travel alert to red and advised its citizens to avoid non-essential trips to Bangkok but the British Government has not taken similar action.

SHOCK

THE attack on Erawan shrine, a tourist hotspot, could badly hit the country’s tourism, one of the few bright spots in the Thai economy.

Many of the dead and injured were Chinese, and Beijing has reacted with horror to the explosion with the foreign ministry initiating “an emergency response”.

“It is beyond the imagination of Chinese people that a blast could happen at the famous Erawan shrine,” said Communist party-controlled tabloid, the Global Times, amid speculation that the bombing could be a revenge attack in response to the recent deportation of 100 Uighur Muslims to China.

“It has almost the same impact on Chinese tourists as if it had happened in China,” added the newspaper. “Whatever the exact number of Chinese casualties, we feel that Chinese tourists are facing the highest level of danger.

Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha said it was the “worst ever attack” on the country.

“There have been minor bombs or just noise, but this time they aim for innocent lives. They want to destroy our economy, our tourism,” he said

The explosion appears to have been designed to kill as many people as possible and Thailand, which has so far escaped the kind of terrorist attacks suffered by neighbouring countries, is in shock at the carnage.

National police chief Somyot Poompummuang said the 3kg pipe bomb had been left inside the shrine.

“Whoever planted this bomb is cruel and aimed to kill. Planting a bomb there means they want to see a lot of people dead,” he said.

New Zealand paramedic Marko Cunningham, who was at the scene, said it was “like a meat market”. “There were bodies everywhere. Some were shredded. It was horrific,” he said.

Thanapon Peng, 25, said: “I saw glass. I saw some organs of people on the road. I don’t know how many people there were.”

Australian tourist Leify Porter, 27, said she was crossing a bridge with her boyfriend John when the bomb exploded.

“We fell to the ground. The blast was so big; there was so much smoke and the fire came up so high. There was fire, shrapnel and so much smoke. The whole ground and everything shook. I thought everyone was going to fall. We couldn’t see anything around us. I’ve never experienced anything like it before.

“After the blast, we ran down the stairs. We saw people crawling around the road with missing limbs. People’s bodies were scattered, their legs were torn off and there was blood everywhere. Everyone was running. It was quite chaotic. Our ears were ringing and our heads hurt. People didn’t know whether to run or help.

“We were there before the paramedics arrived. John was going to go closer and wanted to help, but I kept telling him we had to get out of there. There were clearly dead bodies lying around but no one went near them. I saw at least 12 injured people, and at least three dead bodies lying on the road.

“We didn’t go to the hospital. We were going to but my brother in the UK said there were other bombs. We were frightened and didn’t want to travel. The pain in our ears is quite bad.”

CLASHES

BANGKOK is a popular destination for Australian tourists but yesterday Prime Minister Tony Abbott said they should not give in to terrorism.

“Australians should continue to go to Thailand because the object of the sorts of people who let off bombs in crowded cities is to scare us from being ourselves and we should never be intimidated by that,” he said.

His response contrasted to that from Hong Kong authorities who have warned their residents to stay away from Bangkok. “Residents intending to visit (Bangkok)... should adjust their travel plans and avoid non-essential travel, including leisure travel,” said a government spokesman.

“Those already there should pay attention to announcements by local authorities, attend to their personal safety and avoid areas affected by the explosion.”

The British Foreign Office has also issued a warning that there is a “high threat from terrorism” pointing to two explosions at Bangkok’s Siam station in February in which one person was injured as well as Monday’s blast.

The reason for the attacks is still unclear with the police unsure if they are all related.

Dedicated to Brahma, the Hindu God, the Erawan shrine is a big draw for thousands of tourists, including Buddhists from China.

It sits between a busy shopping centre and a five-star hotel on the Ratchaprasong intersection, a focal point for political demonstrations.

While Bangkok has endured ten years of often violent clashes between political groups, the capital has been relatively peaceful since the military takeover last May after months of unrest.

However the country is still split by enmity between the supporters of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his sister Yingluck, who was head of the democratically elected government that was deposed last year, and those who believe the family are corrupt.

There is also an ongoing insurgency in the south where Islamists are fighting for an independent state.

The attack on the Erawan shrine, however, is unlike the tactics the insurgents have used in the past, according to the police.