Bombs in Bangkok
 

At least three explosions from Sukhumvit 35 to 71 injuring several people including tourists and report that one man, a tourist, lost both legs. Appently conducted by Iranian who entered the country last week.

Thanks for that update, Pook - we have heard nothing about it in the media here.

I heard about it 30 minutes after it happened and right now I am stuck in traffic trying to get back home. They were throwing hand granades at people and some reports are suggesting that they were aiming at tourists. I know that our Lcuy is staying in that area but the news are saying that the injured tourist is a man. His condition is very critical and the prognosis is not good.

Bangkok Post online is reporting that the man that lost his legs is the Iranian man who tossed the bomb.

Here's the actual story:

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/nati...-30175850.html

It was a middle eastern man, who was refused a ride by a taxi driver.

Sukhumvit soi 71 has a large number of mosques. It really doesn't seem to be a "Islam versus The West" thing, unless the perp lost it when he was refused a ride to a different destination.

It would be interesting to know where he asked the taxi driver to take him.

There are some gruesome images of the scene. Both the perp's legs are gone at the knees. He was, indeed, the one with the bombs.

Conflicting news. Radio reporting that police raided the Iranian's apartment and took away at least one bomb, a bomb made with C4 weighing around 1 kg. all I know now is that traffic is very bad and I need a bathroom!

OUCH!

At one point, eastbound Sukhumvit had been shut down. I heard that it has since been reopened.

OK I just got home and here's what the TV is reporting:

3 Iranian men staying in a rented house, Sukhumvit Soi 71 - sub soi 31 to 36, were making bombs and one exploded at around 2 something PM. They fled the house and tried to hail a taxi who refused to take them. One Iranian tried to throw an explosive device at the taxi and approaching police but the man dropped it and blew up his own legs. The other 2 men escaped with report that one has been arrested at Suvarnabhumi airport trying to flee the country to Malaysia. One man still at large. The hose is still cordoned off since explosive devices were found inside including a radio with a 1kg of C4 inside it.

Not sure if this has anything to do with the arrest of another terrorist around the new year who was making bombs.

thanks for the updates, hanuman.

sherm use to bring a a plastic shopping bag with him whenever he rode a taxi, just in case.

Now the news is reporting that over 7kg, or roughly 15lbs of C4 have been found inside the house. Hoping that the last suspect will be arrested soon.

Pook, thank you for being our news reporter once again. I hope the men are all behind bars for a very long time. This simply cannot be tolerated. Period!

amazing... so sad for thailand, but good news that one of the bad guys was hurt

Thanks for the on-the-spot info, Pook. I really appreciate it.

So it sounds like no one but the bomber was injured?

Around four or five people injured Kathie. Now One of the TV channel is interviewing the US embassy spokesman who had just issued another warning today. The original warning was issued around the new year when the Isrealli warned the Thai authority about a plan to attack foreign tourists in Thailand by middle eastern terrorist. An arrest was made and bomb making equipments and raw materials we're confiscated.

more here:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingn...-in-two-blasts

The suspects in the New Years event were Lebanese. Doesn't mean they weren't connected; but, their nationality doesn't link them.

The good news is that these fools screwed up. The bad news is that it would appear that Bangkok was/is a target.

Cable news here in the US is finally mentioning this. They are saying that it was aimed at Jewish targets? That doesn't sound right, but then I don't know what is around that part of Sukhumvit.

Much of the neighborhood is muslim. But, these explosions don't seem to be part of any "plan".

Their planned target is, at this point, pure speculation.

One this we can count on is that the Thai authorities will try to isolate this event as much as possible.

Carol the Israelis were very quick to point the blame at Iran and state that they, Israel and it's citizens, were the target. Something about other events in previous days in India and elsewhere when bombs were detonated on their properties and citizens.

The US and Thai authorities are trying to save face as the US had lifted it's travel warning they placed on Thailand around the New Year and the Thai government had just recently claimed that the country was safe from terrorism from the Mid East. All I know is that the last escaped terrorist is still at large and only a mistake by the terrorist themselves saved the day!

Yes, the hatred must be promoted; the blame game continues.

The US, Europe, Israel and the Arabs all benefit from keeping everyone scared and angry. It has created many billionaires, on all sides, at the expense of millions of innocent lives.

Thailand just wants it to go away.

Hopefully, Thai authorities will take the threat more seriously.

During the last travel advisory, we were shopping at a major, downtown shopping mall. We observed an unattended "Hello Kitty" diaper bag, sitting on an unoccupied bench for about 15 minutes.

I hunted down a security guard, while my wife kept an eye on the bag. After trying to explain the situation to the guard, I finally motioned for him to follow. When we reached my wife, she explained. This was the first that the SECURITY GUARD had heard of any threats! Finally, a women came from down from the other end of the mall and retrieved the bag.

I just found it amazing that, during a period of vigilance, a SECURITY GUARD, at a major shopping venue, frequented by foreigners, was unaware of any such warnings.

THey say they were targeting Israeli officials. Magnets on the bombs etc.

I believe it was the Israelis that said they were targeting Israeli officials.

Another lovely day in BKK. Woke up this morning to read in the Post that it's the blame game all over the place. Israel is blaming Iran; Iran is blaming Israel; Thais are saying it's not a terror attack but a targeted "assassination attempt" (for fear of losing tourists); All other Embassies are saying it *was* a planned terror attack. Sigh. Why can't the world be less of a PITA?

Getting more so, everyday!

Don't mean to divert the thread, although it has, pretty much, run its course. But, there are many entities that benefit, substantially, from a scared and angry populace.

With "middle classes" fading, people are getting more worried and angry.