Police probe blast at Press Association
Bomb-squad police look for clues outside the offices of the Press Association of Thailand after Monday night’s explosion.
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A marble sign outside the offices of the Press Association of Thailand was partly destroyed yesterday when a large, home-made firecracker exploded on Ratchasima Road in Bangkok's Dusit district.
Two traffic police, Sgt-Major Pariwat Rabruen and Sgt-Major Thaweesak Inploy, stationed at a police box opposite the offices noticed the broken sign and alerted colleagues. Colonel Kamolsanti Klanbut, superintendent of Samsen Police Station, said a primary investigation revealed the explosive device was not a bomb but a large firecracker made of gunpowder and nitre. It had been detonated remotely using a mobile phone. A security guard on duty at the site said he heard a bang at about 4pm but did not investigate because he thought it was a car tyre exploding or a traffic accident. Kamolsanti said he had put forward a proposal to have surveillance cameras installed at all traffic intersections but it had been put on hold because of the current political situation. Police said they were trying to establish if the blast was directed specifically at the press association or if it was a protest against the media in general over recent coverage of the political situation.
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