Police in the Thai resort of Hua Hin have arrested two men after bomb attacks there and across the country left four people dead, BBC News reports.
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It was not clear who was behind the attack, but the timing suggested it might be an effort to embarrass the military government that took power two years ago.
The attacks occurred south of Bangkok and several of the blasts – including one on Loma beach in the tourist town of Phuket, and four in the seaside resort city of Hua Hin – appeared created to hit the tourism industry, which provides vital income to the government.
The bombs on Thursday and Friday went off in the upscale resort of Hua Hin and beach destinations in the south including Phuket, Phang Nga and Surat Thani, a city that is the gateway to popular islands in the Gulf of Thailand.
Police said four were from Germany, two from Italy and one from Austria.
No one has claimed responsibility for the coordinated attack, but police have ruled out global terrorism and said the campaign was an act of “local sabotage”. “Anyone who is a former prime minister is anxious about the country and would not do such evil”, said Noppadon, who served in both Thaksin and Yingluk’s cabinets.
Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said perpetrators will be brought to justice and his government will investigate and bring them to legal prosecution with the best ability.
Analysts say suspicion would inevitably on fall on enemies of the ruling junta beaten in the referendum or insurgents from Muslim-majority provinces in the south of the mostly Buddhist country.
Southern militants fighting for greater autonomy have carried out sophisticated, coordinated attacks before, but most have hit three provinces in the far south that were not among those targeted this week.
The violence is the worst since a bomb exploded at the Erawan shrine in central Bangkok in August 2015, killing 20 people and injuring 125 others.
The United States, Britain, Australia and several other countries issued travel warnings to their nationals. Numerous tourists interviewed Saturday were resuming their vacations while keeping an eye for any sign of trouble.
“We feel pretty safe”.
Col. Sansern Kaewkamnerd, a junta spokesman, said Prayuth “expressed his sadness over the unexpected and tragic incident (in Hua Hin)” and ordered police and soldiers in the area to step up security measures.
Carl Suensson, 68, from Sweden, said Saturday that “today it’s pretty OK, but yesterday was scary”.
“We follow the news 24 hours”.
The latest troubles began Thursday afternoon, when a bomb exploded in the southern province of Trang an area full of attractive beaches and tourist islands killing one person and injuring six, according to police.
On Thursday night, attackers in Hua Hin set off bombs in a busy street filled with bars and restaurants. One Thai woman was killed and about 20 people were wounded, 11 of them foreigners.
On Sunday, Thai voters approved a referendum on a new constitution that is supposed to lead to an election next year. Critics say it is undemocratic and is fashioned to keep the military in control for at least five more years even if a free election is held.
Wendy Herbert, an Australian expatriate who lives in Hua Hin, told the BBC the place was deserted on Friday, adding: “I think it’s unfortunate because it’s Mother’s Day and the Queen’s birthday in Thailand, so it’s a big kind of event day, where everybody would be out and doing things”. It was for years the favorite seaside retreat of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world’s longest reigning monarch.
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Thailand’s reputation as a holidaymaker’s paradise has in recent years weathered bus and boat accidents, bouts of political unrest and high-profile crimes against foreigners.
