Deadly blast hits Thailand capital
Bomb kills at least 22 in downtown Bangkok
BANGKOK – Investigations were underway today after a deadly bombing in Bangkok killed at least 22 and injured 123 people, many of them tourists.
Police Chief Somyot Pounpanmuang told reporters that the investigation would be difficult as Monday evening’s bomb had destroyed “all traces” of its construction and origin.
Much of downtown Bangkok remained closed to the public as a bomb disposal task force and a forensics team continued their investigations at dawn.
The bombing, which happened at around 7 p.m. Bangkok time, instantly killed 10 people, according to the Erawan Medical Centre, which was coordinating the medical response.
“There are many people still in hospital whose nationality we can’t determine,” said Dr. Phetphong Kamjornjitjakarn. “They remain incapacitated and were not carrying any form of identification at the time of the incident.”
The Ministry of Public Health has also released an urgent appeal for blood donors as supplies were running low. There were several locations throughout Bangkok where donors could contribute, according to Permanent Secretary Narong Sahametapat.
“The youngest patient currently in our care is a 5-year-old Chinese national who suffered head injuries,” Narong said. “Some patients have been discharged but those suffering from trauma or burns remain in hospital.”
No one has so far claimed responsibility for the attack and authorities have not elaborated on how it was carried out.
The ruling military government, which came to power in a coup in May 2014, called for calm late Monday.
“I ask everyone to remain calm and not create rumors to cause confusion in the country,” spokesman Winthai Suvari said in a statement, adding that “the authorities have everything under control.”
Schools and banks opened as normal this morning and the military insisted that no state of emergency would be declared.
Two bombs were detonated in February at a luxury shopping mall in Bangkok, injuring two people. Another bomb exploded on the resort island of Koh Samui in April. Authorities said at the time that the bombs were meant to destabilize the military government.