Police hunt for those behind Bangkok bomb attack near pro-democracy protest site

ThaigerSunday, January 17, 2021Last Updated: Sunday, January 17, 2021

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Police hunt for those behind Bangkok bomb attack near pro-democracy protest site | Thaiger

Police are hunting for those responsible for yesterday’s bomb attack that hit near a pro-democracy protest site in Bangkok. The attack occurred at Samyan Intersection at around 6pm, leaving 4 people injured, including 2 policemen. Bangkok police chief Phukphong Phongpetra says the device used appears to be a pingpong bomb, which was filled with nails.

Demonstrators gathered yesterday in front of Samyan Mitrtown shopping mall to protest enforcement of Thailand’s royal defamation law, which has been used sweepingly since the protests started up again last year. Riot police were deployed to the site as well as to Victory Monument, where police dispersed a group of activists earlier yesterday.

Last November, a similar incident occurred when someone threw a firecracker at pro-democracy protesters from the MRT Tha Phra Station, but no one was injured and the attacker remains unidentified.

Since November, at least 43 people have been charged with lese majeste, including underage students, with most being comprised of activists that helped organise the protests in Bangkok calling for monarchy reforms.

Government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri is urging people to stop joining in political gatherings, as PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is voicing his concern over the recent cold weather and the potential further spreading of Covid in mass gatherings.

“The government does not wish to see a rise in infections caused by political rallies. Therefore, we’d like to ask for cooperation from the public to comply with measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.”

The cooler weather is expected to last for another 2 days, after a cold spell from China washed over Thailand, with the northern part of the country expected to see a drop of up to 8 degrees Celsius in temperature.

Authorities are banning any unauthorised gatherings under the Emergency Decree, as Anucha confirms the need to carry out the decree as well as Thailand’s Communicable Disease Act measures.

SOURCE: Khaosod English