EXPLOSION - A Powerful blast hits building in Nonthaburi, killing 3

[ozpharlap]

A powerful blast rocks a five-story apartment building in Nonthaburi's Bang Bua Thong district on Monday evening, killing at least three and injuring many others.

 

Police claimed the explosion broke out in a room on the second floor of the Saman Mettha Apartment building at about 6am.

 

The explosion severely destroyed the second and first floors of the buildings.

 

The impact of the explosion caused panic that the building could be collapsed.

 

The injured people were rushed to hospitals nearby. Some of them were said to be thrown out of the building in the blast.

 

Owner of the building; Samarn Bunprasert, told police that he did not know who rented the room where police believed that the blast started.

 

The explosion happened hours after the state of emergency was extended in the province as well as Bangkok, Pathum Thani and Samut Prakarn.

 

Nonthaburi has been a stronghold of Pheu Thai MP Apiwan Wiriyachai who is also deputy House Speaker. Apiwan is a leading red shirt leader who took stage several times to cristicise Abhisit government during the April and May Crisis.

 

 

-- The Nation 2010-10-05

[chilli13]

amazing stuff. apparently the same guy (from chiang mai) was behind the car bomb at p2000 mp back in april!

[Bangkoktraveler]

What were they doing - making homemade bombs?

[shygye]

... or was it a gas explosion.

[Flashermac]

 

Here is the Post's account:

 

...........

 

 

Police are looking to question a Chiang Mai man following an explosion last night at a five-storey apartment in Nonthaburi which killed three people and injured nine others.

 

A source at the Crime Suppression Division said Room 202 at Samarn Metta Mansion, where the blast is believed to have occurred, was rented to Samai Wongsuwan from Hang Dong district in Chiang Mai.

 

Another police source said it was believed Mr Samai had driven a car from Chiang Mai and left it on April 5 in the parking lot of Poseidon massage parlour on Ratchadaphisek Road, where it later exploded.

 

Investigators will hold talks today at the Police Region 1 headquarters to try to come up with a motive for the planting of the explosive in the apartment.

 

The powerful bomb, which was detonated at 6pm, ripped through the first and second floors of the apartment block in Thipsuwan housing estate off Bangkruai-Sai Noi road in Nonthaburi's Bang Bua Thong district.

 

Pol Lt Col Kamthorn Ouicharoen, deputy chief of the Metropolitan Police Bureau's explosive ordnance disposal squad, said the bomb probably weighed more than 10 kilogrammes.

 

The building belongs to Saman Boonprasert, 54, who was supervising the decoration of the ground floor of his home next door when the bomb went off. His wife Issara said he was among the injured.

 

The explosion caused extensive damage to the building's interior and nearby shophouses, townhouses and vehicles.

 

Investigators assisted by a team of military bomb disposal experts sealed the area around the building as they scoured the scene for evidence to determine the cause of the explosion.

 

The bodies of three victims were found inside the building. Police identified one as Apirak Sajjabanyongkij, 20, a grilled-egg vendor.

 

The nine injured were rushed to Bang Bua Thong and Phra Nangklao hospitals, an Emergency Medical Institute spokesman said.

 

Seven who were slightly injured were discharged after receiving treatment. They are: Phatcharaphan Nuansithai, 23; Pheeraphat Jatkham, 24; Weeraphat Wangyaichim, 16; Songkran Bucha, 28; Natthaworn Khlaichinda,3; Surat Inpleng, 36, and Samarn Bunprasert.

 

Two others being treated at Phra Nangklao were in a serious condition, including a seven-year-old boy, Nitiphong Phoonoo. His skull was fractured after being hit by bomb shrapnel.

 

The other victim, Weerasak Anuphan, 38, broke the upper part of his thighbone.

 

The bomb went off just hours after the cabinet announced Bangkok and its three surrounding provinces of Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani and Samut Prakan would remain under emergency rule for another three months.

 

Deputy government spokesman Supachai Jaisamut said the executive decree on public administration in emergency situations would remain in effect in greater Bangkok for security reasons.

 

The National Security Council cited the continued activities of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship as being behind the proposal to extend the decree.

 

UDD activities could be used by those wanting to incite turmoil, the NSC said.

 

The agency said activities against the royal institution and the mobilisation of UDD supporters were gathering pace in greater Bangkok.

 

The cabinet also acknowledged the appointment of Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon as director of the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation to replace Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban when he stands down to contest a by-election later this month in Surat Thani.

 

Permanent secretary for education Chaleaw Yusimarak was appointed a new member of the CRES.

 

A bomb exploded in the car park of Thonglor Pet Hospital on Sirindhorn Road in Bang Phlad district at 10.45pm on Monday night.

 

The explosion damaged a black Honda City sedan belonging to Daralrat Thumchai, 31, a veterinarian at the hospital.

 

Bang Phlad police said it was a low-power bomb made from gunpowder and nails stuffed in a plastic box and detonated by a time delay device.

 

The veterinarian is not believed to have personal conflicts.

 

Police suspect the bombing was aimed at triggering turmoil.

 

Meanwhile, Lt Gen Udomdet Sitabutr, the commander of the 1st Army which supervises the Central Plains, said his subordinates were carefully monitoring the security situation and were conducting intelligence operations to prevent further incidents.

 

 

 

BP

 

[TheCorinthian]

What were they doing - making homemade bombs?

 

 

 

Looks that way. I will know more later after we get the secound briefing.

[Flashermac]

It's what everybody figured. There is some justice in the world:

 

 

Explosion happened while bomb being assembled, say police

 

 

Police believe the fatal explosion which wrecked a Nonthaburi apartment building on Tuesday night was caused by a mistake during the assembling of a bomb, and are linking it to four previous bombs found in the capital city.

 

National police chief Wichean Potephosree was on Wednesday morning briefed by the leaders of the team investigating the explosion at Samarn Metta Mantion in Nonthaburi's Bang Bua Thong district, at Region 1 police headquarters.

 

Three bodies were found after the explosion last night, and nine people were admitted to hospital. A fourth body, that of a man, was found under the debris of the building today.

 

Pol Gen Wichean said after the briefing that the bomb went off about 6pm in room 202 of the five storey apartment building. The room was rented on September 23 by Samai Wongsuwan, from Chiang Mai. Mr Samai stayed there with another man and his wife, whose names were still unknown.

 

[color:red]Yesterday, the apartment's housekeeper saw Mr Samai and the couple carrying two or three sacks containing unknown items into their room about 1pm, five hours before the blast.[/color]

 

[color:red]Background checks revealed that Mr Samai was once accused of throwing a grenade in Chiang Mai in 2009, but he had never been charged.[/color]

 

[color:red]Mr Samai had also taken part in the prolonged United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) protest at Ratchaprasong this year.[/color]

 

The explosion was believed to be about 10kg of TNT set off by mistake while a bomb was being assembled in the room.

 

Police found 12-volt batteries, electric wire, electronic circuits and gas and fire extinguisher cylinders stuffed with urea fertiliser.

 

Based on this, police believe the explosion might be linked with four bombs found earlier at Santirat Witthaya School, the Public Health Ministry parking lot, the parking lot of The Mall department store in Ngam Wong Wan, and Nang Lerng racing course.

 

[color:red]Police also found an HK rifle in the room.[/color]

 

Pol Gen Panupong Singhara na Ayutthaya, acting deputy police chief, said it was not yet known whether one of the bodies was Mr Samai. A DNA test will be needed to confirm this, he said.

 

He said there was no evidence to connect the pick-up truck with Narathiwat licence plates used by the couple who stayed with Mr Samai to any terrorist activities in the far South, nor to the 11 men arrested recently in Chiang Mai.

 

Samarn Boonprasert, 60, the owner of Samarn Metta Mansion and operator of community radio station FM 106.25, told police that he had nothing to do with past protests of the red-shirts.

 

Security was stepped throughout the inner city area today after the explosion. Troops were deployed to guard the government administrative complex on Chaeng Wattana road, with visitors being searched and vehicles checked for bombs.

 

Authorities are on high alert since political groups plan to organise commemorative gatherings this month to mark past bloodshed, including the student protests in 1973 and 1976 and the yellow-shirt protest in 2008.

 

Department of Special Investigation (DSI) chief Tharit Pengdit said reports of red-shirts being given weapons training to create unrest and assassinate important people had been confirmed.

 

Mr Tharit was referring to Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban's remarks that United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) members have undergone arms training in Cambodia and plan to cause violence and assassinate 39 important figures in Thailand.

 

He said the DSI some time ago had obtained the same information - that those trained armed men had been deployed at various symbolic spots, especially in Bangkok, and were ready to act.

 

Last night's fatal explosion at the Nothaburi apartment building served to warning of the possibility of more violence throughout this month, Mr Tharit said.

 

Asked about the arrest of the 11 men in Chiang Mai, Mr Tharit said the DSI had sent officials to conduct additional investigations as requested by the Region 5 Police.

 

The case was expected to be transferred to the DSI, he said.

 

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said this morning that he was saddened by the explosion.

 

"I have instructed security officials to expedite the investigation and promptly clarify the incident to the public," Mr Abhisit said.

 

The prime minister, who is attending the 8th Asia-Europe Meeting (Asem) in Brussels, said he had told the European Union that the state of emergency was needed to help officials deal with the recent bombings.

 

"I told the EU the government is careful about human rights violations and the country has mechanisms to monitor and inspect human rights issues," he said.

 

Deputy Prime Minister in charge of security affairs Suthep Thaugsuban expressed confidence that authorities can bring the situation under control.

 

[color:red]"The situation is still normal," Mr Suthep said when reporters asked him whether authorities can control the security situation in the capital.[/color]

 

 

Link

[Flashermac]

Jesus H. Christ!

 

 

Chumpol: Bombing won’t hurt tourism

 

 

It is unlikely the bomb explosion in Nonthaburi last night will have any impact on tourism as no foreign country has advised its citizens to avoid visiting Thailand, Tourism and Sports Minister Chumpol Silpa-archa said on Wednesday.

 

 

Mr Chumpol denied a report that China had warned its citizens not to travel to Thailand for safety reasons.

 

“I believe the tourism sector will not be critically affected, as it was during the mass anti-government protest at Ratchaparsong intersection in May by the red-shirt group,†said the minister.

 

Mr Chumpol said foreign countries now have a good understanding of the country’s political situation and the government’s efforts to maintain law and order. They understood that the renewal of emergency decree in Bangkok and adjacent provinces was partly to ensure security for foreign tourists.

 

“[color:red]Reports of bombings in the capital might have some psychological effect[/color], but actually the number of foreign tourists visiting Thailand is increasing,†he said.

 

On Oct 1 there were 35,000 foreign arrivals at Suvarnabhumi airport, while many more went straight to Phuket, Samui or other tourist destinations on charter flights, he added.

 

Nearly 10 million foreign tourists had come to Thailand since the beginning of the year and it was expected the total would be more than 15 million by the end of the year, said Mr Chumpol.

 

 

 

BP

 

[LizardKing]

Just an example of the common SE Asian avian, the Thai ostrich...

[Bangkoktraveler]

Bomb makers got to get better manuals on how to make bombs. Spending a few more dollars might hep. These shit-ass manuals translated from one laguage to another using the Babylon translation program do not cut it.