Chinese among dead in Bangkok blast

World Today

Thai people light candle near the Erawan Shrine at Rajprasong intersection the day after an explosion in Bangkok, Thailand, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2015. Thailand’s prime minister on Tuesday promised that authorities would quickly track down those responsible for the central Bangkok bombing, which he described as the country’s worst attack ever. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

At least 22 people were killed and over 100 others injured as of Tuesday morning in the deadly explosion that hit downtown Bangkok on Monday night.

UPDATE: As of 9:37PM EST in Washington on 8/18/2015 the Associated Press reports: BANGKOK (AP)Site of bomb blast in Bangkok reopens with people arriving to offer prayers and flowers.

Two Chinese mainlanders and one Hong Kong resident were among the dead while at least 12 Chinese were injured according to the Chinese Embassy.

Up to ten Thais and one Filipino were also killed while others are yet to be confirmed.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has initiated an emergency response, demanding its embassy in Thailand start immediate investigations and put in all efforts to help the injured.

The explosion occurred at 7 p.m. local time inside the Erawan Shrine, a popular site often visited by domestic and foreign tourists, and located near shopping malls, hotels and restaurants.

According to Thailand’s Police Chief Somyot Poompanmuang, it was a pipe bomb placed inside the shrine.

“The perpetrators intended to destroy the economy and tourism, because the incident occurred in the heart of the tourism district,” Defense Minister Prawit Wongsuwan told Reuters.

However, he declined to comment if the bombing might have involved political conflict or separatist movement.

Thai investigators believe a man seen in security video wearing a yellow T-shirt and carrying a backpack set off the bomb at the central Bangkok shrine, police said Tuesday.

“The yellow shirt guy is not just the suspect. He is the bomber,” police spokesman Lt. Gen. Prawut Thavornsiri told The Associated Press.

Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha called an emergency meeting with high-level government officials and military officers in charge of national security affairs at the headquarters of the National Police.

The government has also set up a “war room” to coordinate their response to the blast, the national television channel quoted Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha as saying.

A statement posted on Chinese micro-blog Sina Weibo said that the tourism authority of Thailand will offer all-out efforts to help Chinese victims of the attack. People seeking help can contact the micro-blog account of Thailand’s tourism authority.

Story compiled from CCTV News, Reuters, and The Associated Press


Second bomb thrown from bridge in Bangkok Tuesday, no one injured

The security services in Thailand have released images of a suspect they are seeking in connection with Monday night’s bombing in central Bangkok. But no further information is known about the man or the reasons for the bombing that killed twenty people and left 125 seriously injured. And tensions started to run even higher when a second explosive device was thrown from a bridge on Tuesday afternoon.

CCTV’s Tony Cheng filed this report from Bangkok.


Rohan Gunaratna on the Bangkok blast

For more on the Bangkok blast, CCTV America’s Mike Walter spoke to Rohan Gunaratna in Singapore. He’s a Professor of Security Studies.