A bomb exploded at a popular shrine in central Bangkok during evening rush hour Monday, killing at least 18 people, injuring more than 100 and leaving body parts strewn across the streets of a neighborhood full of five-star hotels and upscale shopping malls, officials said.
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No group immediately claimed responsibility for the blast.
According to Reuters, Thai forces are fighting with a low-level Muslim insurgency, but the rebels have rarely attacked.
The intersection where the Erawan shrine is located is a tourist attraction site with shopping centers and hotels.
The explosion took place in the centre of the Thai capital at around 7pm, which would have been packed with tourists.
Florian Witulski, a German video journalist based in Bangkok, said the police had found several more bombs in a “nearby taxi”.
There are unconfirmed reports of a second bomb near the explosion site that is reportedly being deactivated by a bomb squad.
“There were bodies everywhere”. Media said most of the wounded were from China and Taiwan.
Police said 78 people were wounded. Somyot Poompanmuang added that whoever planted that bomb “is cruel and aimed to kill” and that they wanted to “see a lot of people dead”. “So far there have been no reports of any Indians being injured“, Indian Ambassador to Thailand Harsh Vardhan Shringla told PTI. “There were legs where heads were supposed to be – It was horrific”, Cunningham said.
Thai police discovered at least two additional unexploded bombs inside the Erawan Shrine and said other bombs might have been placed in the area, yelling at bystanders: “Get out!” Such an attack is unprecedented in Bangkok’s recent history, where low-powered mostly symbolic blasts have occurred. However, he said it was unclear who had carried out the attack.
Occasional small blasts have been blamed on one side or the other.
Royal Thai Army chief and deputy defence minister General Udomdej Sitabutr said: “This does not match with incidents in southern Thailand“.
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Police confirmed 19 people were killed, including 10 Thais, one Chinese and one Filipino citizen. The intersection also was the scene of months of protests in support of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in 2010. Dozens were killed in a military crackdown and a shopping centre was set ablaze.
