Posted: Sun Dec 31, 2006 8:53 pm Post subject: bangkok bomb blasts
not a happy new year for the victims of these bomb blasts-
tourists not targetted
amateur attempt to wreak havoc??? _________________ Asia Expats Forum Expat Friends Dating
At least six bombs or grenades have exploded in Bangkok early on New Year's Eve. Two people are reported to have been killed, about 25 have been wounded.
Bangkok authorities initially ordered all public New Year's Eve parties cancelled, but that order was held up for a conference among several officials.
The national government indicated celebrations might proceed including - especially - the massive and internationally famous New Year's Countdown outdoors party attended by upwards of half a million people outside CentralWorld near Siam Square in central Bangkok.
Police Commissioner Kowit Wattana, at a televised news conference, said, "Don't be afraid, but be careful," and urged Bangkokians not to cancel New Year's Eve plans.
But the capital was extremely tense. All major department stores, due to stay open until late for holiday shopping, were all shut by 8 p.m. including the luxury Emporium and Paragon stores in the main tourist areas of Sukhumvit and Siam Square. Central, the biggest Thai department store operator, closed its stores.
Government spokesman Yongyuth Malyalarp said the capital should remain calm and alert, and keep an eye out for unusual activity. He said police had been ordered on high alert.
Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont said people hoping to celebrate the new year should avoid crowded areas.
Early reports said there were six explosions in various parts of the capital. Two were reported near the Klong Toey market, where one person was killed, and near the busy Victory Monument, where two people were reported killed and more than a dozen wounded.
Graphic footage shown on television showed damaged vehicles and blood-stained streets and pavements.
TV reports said a man was seen throwing a grenade off a pedestrian overpass near a police box in the Saphan Kwai area of Bangkok, injuring several people in the explosion.
At Seacon Square in eastern Bangkok, Asia's largest mall, an explosion in the outdoor parking lot sent hundreds of shoppers scrambling, but no injurites were reported.
Shoppers who called BangkokPost.com said the mall was evacuated and shuttered for the night.
Another explosion was reported from Sukhumvit Soi 62, a major intersection with the capital's main expressway system in southeast Bangkok, and another in suburban Nonthaburi province north of the city centre.
"There was no warning. It is quite shocking. We've got at least one child very seriously injured in my area and others are injured," said Police Maj-Gen Anand Srisiran, chief of Metropolitan Police District Five.
Witnesses told police in some places that they saw people throwing what looked to be grenades shortly before the explosions.
New Year's Eve parties were just kicking off when the bombs began going off around sundown at 6 p.m.
The coordinated attacks are unprecedented in Bangkok.
However, political feelings have run high for more than a year, and there have been reports of political violence aimed against the military junta which ousted ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra on Sept 19 - primarily the suspected burning of schools.
In addition, some intelligence sources had suggested in the past two weeks that Islamist extremists leading the southern insurgency might try to spread their attacks to the capital. They have never operated out of the deep South.
The Bangkok bombings, however, bore little resemblance to bomb attacks in the South, which usually involve improvised explosive devices (IEDs) copied from the Iraq model, and set off by mobile phones, and vehicle bombs, especially in motorcycles.
Except for the insurgency in the four southernmost provinces, there has been no deadly political violence in Thailand for more than 14 years, when a popular protest overthrew the last military government. In that case, the violence and deaths were caused by the military government and armed forces.
Martial law was lifted in Bangkok and surrounding provinces just a month ago, but the military is authorised to act when necessary. The coup passed its 100-day anniversary on Dec 28.
The junta leader and army commander, Gen Sonthi Boonyaratkalin, is currently out of Thailand, on the Haj in Saudi Arabia, and will not return until Thursday. _________________ Asia Expats Forum Expat Friends Dating
Posted: Sun Dec 31, 2006 9:28 pm Post subject: bangkok explosions
COORDINATED BANGKOK BOMBS KILL 2; New Year's Eve Countdown cancelled
(BangkokPost.com)
At least six bombs or grenades have exploded in Bangkok early on New Year's Eve. Two people are reported to have been killed, about 25 have been wounded.
Bangkok authorities ordered all public New Year's Eve parties cancelled. Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin appeared at the huge Bangkok Countdown 2006 venue and told the crowd to "go home and stay in peace."
There had been confusion for an hour over whether New Year's parties would be permitted after the bombing. New Year's is the biggest public party in Thailand.
The national government indicated celebrations might proceed including - especially - the massive and internationally famous New Year's Countdown outdoors party attended by upwards of half a million people outside CentralWorld near Siam Square in central Bangkok. _________________ Asia Expats Forum Expat Friends Dating
got my walkin' shoes on... keep on truckin' - anybody out there remember that / old enough to ??? Maybe it IS time to move as this country just went back 20 ++ years. Re: another junta / ol' ginger carnts
Don't want to move back to my own &^@% for the A _ _ _ retentive folks abound. Perhaps to a place down asunder where sepos could be acccepted...
getting more like an isolationist day by day
Just another ol' hippie (for real...) By the way, we were right and will always be right... _________________ Hey! from the mountains
A great pity, and a tragedy for those who died and their families. _________________ The Middle Eastern states aren't nations; they're quarrels with borders.- P. J. O'Rourke
Up here people don't seem to give much of a damn, still partying. t's TRT stronghold and still under martial law anyway.They play the torching schools game. _________________ Thailand Forum - Korat Forum..
Up here people don't seem to give much of a damn, still partying. t's TRT stronghold and still under martial law anyway.They play the torching schools game.
Yep, keep them stupid / uneducated seems to be the norm in the deep south (and other places where "ponoh" schools would like to florish). Including murdering / torturing teachers and the like. Anybody have an accurate number of torched schools since all this nonsense started after the communist left town in the late 50's / early 60's and the PULO took over - happily funded by their southern nieghbors. Oh yes, ladies and germs!! It's been going on for a very long time Say since the Thai regime invaded / conquered the Malay state of Pattani in the late 1700's (????) and annexed in the early 1900's. Some people aren't forgiving at all!!! So, why doesn't the present administration give them back Pattani and move the border north (quite) a bit??? Especially since this military junta tried to reconcilliate the first week they were in power. HA!!! Business as usual after that. Bombs and killing [i]ad infinum[/i] _________________ Hey! from the mountains
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got my walkin' shoes on... keep on truckin' - anybody out there remember that / old enough to ??? 
