Thai premier orders probe after four injured in Bangkok blasts
Explosive devices were found or detonated in at least six locations, including two at stations of the elevated Skytrain rail system.
Thai prime minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha has ordered an investigation into several small bombings in Bangkok that took place as Thailand was hosting a high-level summit.
Explosive devices were found or detonated in at least six locations, including two at stations of the capital’s elevated Skytrain rail system.
Other sites included a government complex on the outskirts of the city, and near the offices of a company associated with supporters of Mr Prayuth’s new government, police said.
“A group of ill-intended people have recently incited violence while the government is propelling the country forward,” Mr Prayuth’s office said in a statement, urging the public not to panic and to co-operate with authorities in investigating the blasts.
Thailand has this week been hosting an annual meeting of foreign ministers of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and their counterparts from other Asia-Pacific countries, as well as US secretary of state Mike Pompeo.
The bombings did not disrupt the proceedings, which already were under tight security.
Thailand recently ended five years of military rule following a 2014 coup.
The government that took power last month is led by former army commander Prayuth Chan-ocha, who staged the 2014 takeover and led a military government until he took power through elections this year.
The government’s critics say the election was not fair because the rules favoured parties backing Mr Prayuth.
His main opponents are supporters of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted by another coup in 2006. The action set off years of sometimes violent contention for power between his supporters and opponents.Mr Thaksin’s supporters are now the main opposition party in the new parliament.
Police on Thursday said they had found two fake bombs outside their headquarters in central Bangkok, near the venue of the current meeting of Asean foreign ministers. Thai media cited police as saying that two men had been arrested in connection with the incident.
