Patong Beach bomb scare: Hidden explosives uncovered in sand
Officers found a large buried device behind Theweewong Road hotel
Holidaymakers were left rattled as police scoured Phuket’s beaches to unearth a series of hidden explosive devices planted by suspects intent on chaos.
Police confirmed yesterday evening, June 27, that the last two devices connected to the suspects’ shocking confession have been safely recovered and neutralised.
The first discovery was made at Patong Beach around 3.45pm, just 50 metres from where an earlier device had been found. Police Lieutenant Colonel Wichet Suwanno of Patong Police received the alert and quickly informed Police Colonel Chalermchai Hirasawat, Superintendent of Patong Police Station.
Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) specialists, accompanied by Phuket Provincial Forensic Science officers, rushed to the scene behind a hotel on Theweewong Road. They found a large device buried in the sand, measuring about 45 centimetres in diameter.
“The team immediately cut off its detonation circuit and secured it for further analysis,” officials said. The device has now been sent to the Region 8 Forensic Science Office for examination.
The bomb hunt began earlier in the day when officers combed Surin Beach after one of the suspects confessed to hiding more explosives.
EOD teams from Region 8 Police, Phuket Provincial Police, Cherng Talay Police, and local officials used metal detectors and scanning gear to sweep the area. The search paid off when officers spotted a suspicious object buried under a tree near a public bathroom, right by a construction site where the Department of Public Works is improving the beach landscape.
Specialists neutralised the device with a controlled detonation.
But the drama wasn’t over yet. At 5.20pm, another suspicious object was discovered, this time near a police box and lifeguard station at Surin Beach.
The device was cunningly hidden inside a green resealable drink container. Officers disabled the explosive before securing it for forensic investigation.
Officials have now confirmed that all devices linked to the suspects’ admissions have been recovered.
“Every suspicious object confessed to has been found and rendered safe,” officers said.
Despite the successful recovery, police remain on high alert. Investigations are ongoing to determine whether any accomplices remain at large or if further devices were planted elsewhere, reported The Phuket News.
Residents and tourists are being urged to stay vigilant and report anything unusual to local officials as officers work to restore calm along Phuket’s popular beaches.
Latest Thailand News
Follow The Thaiger on Google News:
