Bangkok bombing: ‘18 dead, over 100 injured’

A BOMB exploded at a popular shrine in central Bangkok during evening rush hour yesterday, killing at least 18 people, injuring more than 100 and leaving body parts strewn across the streets of a neighbourhood full of five-star hotels and upmarket shopping malls, officials said.

Thai soldiers inspect the scene after a bomb exploded outside a religious shrine in central Bangkok. Picture: Getty

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the blast, which caused the worst carnage of any single attack in recent memory in the Thai capital.

Four non-Thai nationals were said to be among those killed.

Bangkok has been relatively peaceful since a military coup ousted a civilian government in May last year after several months of sometimes violent political protests against the previous government.

The area around Bangkok’s Erawan Shrine is filled with hundreds of tourists, office workers and shoppers at any given time. Police said the bomb was made from a pipe wrapped in cloth. “Whoever planted this bomb is cruel and aimed to kill,” said national police chief Somyot Poompummuang. “Planting a bomb there means they want to see a lot of people dead.”

The shrine is at a major intersection that was the centre of many contentious political demonstrations in recent years - raising questions about whether the bombing was politically linked. But police said it was too soon to determine the attack’s motive.

Security video showed a powerful flash as the bomb exploded at around 7pm.

At least 18 people were confirmed dead and 117 injured, according to the Narinthorn emergency medical rescue centre. The dead included Chinese and a Filipino, Mr Somyot said.

A policeman photographs debris from the explosion. Picture: AP

“Suddenly there was a big boom, and the whole room just shook, like someone dropped a wrecking ball on top of our ceiling,” said Pim Niyomwan, an English instructor working on the eighth floor of the building right next to the shrine.

“The whole building just shook. My four students were hysterical.”

Anusit Kunakorn, secretary of the National Security Council, said prime minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, the former army chief who orchestrated the May 2014 coup, was closely monitoring the situation.

“We still don’t know for sure who did this and why,” deputy prime minister Prawit Wongsuwon said. “We are not sure if it is politically motivated, but they aim to harm our economy and we will hunt them down.”

Motorcycles and debris lie on the pavement. Picture: AP

Although Bangkok has seen a period of relative calm since last year’s coup, there has been some tension in recent months, with the junta making clear that it may not hold elections until 2017 and wanting a constitution that will allow some type of emergency rule to take the place of an elected government.

Stirring the pot has been former prime minister Thaksin, who was ousted in a 2006 coup and fled the country to avoid a corruption conviction. Last week, Thaksin posted a message on YouTube urging his followers to reject the draft constitution because he said it was undemocratic.

The draft charter is supposed to be voted on next month by a special National Reform Council. If it passes, it is supposed to go to a public referendum around January.

The last major bombings in Bangkok occurred on New Year’s Eve at the end of 2006, when a series of bombs at celebrations around town killed at least three people and wounded dozens.