2 police injured in Democrat HQ blast

[Flashermac]

Bangkok Post

7 Apr 2010

 

 

Seh Daeng seen nearby prior to grenade attack

 

 

 

A grenade has been fired into the Democrat Party headquarters in Phaya Thai district, injuring two police officers.

 

The attack took place yesterday on the 64th anniversary of the party.

 

An initial investigation showed the grenade was fired from an M79 launcher into a parking lot behind the party's headquarters at about 3.30pm.

 

[color:red]The blast hit a prison van containing tear gas cannisters and anti-riot gear.[/color]

 

The impact of the explosion shattered the glass doors of a snooker parlour about two metres from the parking lot.

 

Pol Sgt Maj Mana Jitngarmkham and Pol Sgt Maj Anond Pornsao of Bang Khen police station, who were taking a break in the snooker parlour, were injured.

 

Prime Minister and Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva and Deputy Prime Minister and Democrat secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban visited the injured officers at Vichaiyudh Hospital. They were later transferred to the Police General Hospital.

 

After giving financial assistance to the wounded officers, the prime minister went to the scene of the attack before worshipping the earth goddess statue, the Democrat's symbol.

 

Mr Suthep condemned those who carried out the attack. He said he was told that army "specialist" Khattiya Sawasdipol, a core red shirt member, was spotted near the party's headquarters two hours before the blast.

 

[color:red]Maj Gen Khattiya, also known as Seh Daeng, who arrived in a black van, was seen talking to a police officer on Settharisi Road near Sam Sen railway station. Upon seeing a photographer, the army "specialist" and his driver left the area.[/color]

 

The attack took place just five minutes after a group of about 400 red shirt demonstrators left a road they had been blocking near Vichaiyudh Hospital to criticise the Democrat Party.

 

After the attack, police checked all vehicles leaving the hospital as they suspected the grenade might have been fired from either the hospital's parking lot or a nearby expressway.

 

Also yesterday, a home-made bomb was found close to Chulalongkorn University.

 

Police found the 5kg bomb inside a plastic bag near a roadside bench, about 100 metres from a university entrance.

 

Police said the bomb's fuse had been lit but it failed to ignite the explosive.

 

The explosive and fingerprints found on the bomb would be sent to the Scientific Crime Detection Division for examination.

 

An M67 hand grenade was thrown into the compound of a house in Chatuchak district early yesterday. No one was inside the house in Mongkholniwes housing estate at the time.

 

The blast was heard at about 2.30am.

 

The grenade landed in the driveway of the two-storey house, causing a 24cm hole. The house is owned by Anond Wiriyapanlert, 47, a businessman.

 

Pol Gen Panupong Singhara na Ayutthaya, head of a police team looking into bomb blasts in Bangkok and surrounding provinces, said initial findings revealed several of the attacks were related and the devices used were mostly M67 hand grenades. The serial numbers of the grenades indicated they were from the same production batch, he said.

 

A source said police had obtained clues about the whereabouts of a couple who bought a car which was used in the bomb blast on Monday at the Poseidon massage parlour on Ratchadaphisek Road, a family business connected to Commerce Minister Porntiva Nakasai.

 

The couple had bought the Honda Civic from Pol Snr Sgt Maj Somsak Jaijumba of Chiang Mai's San Sai district.

 

The bomb went off not long after midnight, injuring a parlour employee and smashing the building's windows.

 

 

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