A day after a Bangkok bomb attack left 20 people dead there has been a second explosion in Thailand’s capital but police are reporting that no one was hurt.
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Update as of 6:26 a.m. EDT: A man in a yellow T-shirt seen in surveillance footage leaving the Erawan Shrine Monday night is “the bomber” responsible for the explosion at the popular shrine in Bangkok that killed at least 21 people, Police Lt. Gen. Prawut Thavornsiri, told the Associated Press.
The bomb was detonated around 7pm local time on Monday when the shrine itself was busy and the junction outside, Ratchaprasong, was also were crowded.
“This is the worst incident that has ever happened in Thailand”, Prayuth said.
The spokesman said: “Singapore strongly condemns the bomb blast in Bangkok and is saddened by the loss of innocent lives”.
But Thai authorities said extensive CCTV footage had been of help at the start of their investigation. “The type of bomb used is also not in keeping with the south”, Royal Thai Army chief and deputy defence minister General Udomdej Sitabutr said in a televised interview.
The bomb injured at least 123 people, many of them tourists, according to the Erawan Medical Centre, which has been coordinating aid for victims.
The bombings could impact Thailand’s tourism industry heavily, especially among the Chinese, which make up a large segment of visitors to Southeast Asian destinations.
Later, Mr Prayuth gave his first televised address since the bombing, saying the government will expedite “all investigative efforts to find the perpetrators and bring them to justice”, but providing nothing specific about suspects or the status of the investigation.
Police said it was too soon to determine the motive for Monday’s attack.
Much of central Bangkok remained closed to traffic early Tuesday as clean-up crews began removing debris.
Broadcaster Thai PBS said a manhunt was underway “and all airports and border checkpoints were alerted to watch out for the suspect”. No New Zealanders were among the fatalities.
Tourism is one of the few bright spots in an economy that continues to underperform more than a year after the military seized power in May 2014. It is among Bangkok’s most popular tourist attractions. “Some were shredded. It was horrific”, he told the Reuters news agency.
Thailand’s capital 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.
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“The Philippines stands in solidarity with the government and people of Thailand at this trying moment”, DFA earlier said in a statement.
