Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont explains to the National Legislative Assembly about the bomb attacks in Bangkok on New Year’s Eve and how the government will solve the problem.

The New Year bomb attacks in Bangkok and Chiang Mai will remain a tragic mystery unless authorities can unmask the culprits.

Who-done-it speculation will inflame the anxiety, causing public confidence in security to plummet. For as long as culprits elude the law, the resumption of social peace will be elusive.

By definition, terrorism is a politically motivated crime. The series of eight explosions in the capital and another bomb at a mosque in the North have all the hallmarks of terror attacks.

Three victims died and dozens of innocent bystanders were injured. Their casualties were nei-ther the first - nor will they be the last - in the violence triggered by a power struggle.

Bangkok residents have wit-nessed recurring bomb attacks since the 1970s, coinciding with political turbulence linked to the transition to democratic rule. Political violence erupted in 1976 - and again in the early 1980s - as the ruling elite opted for bombs to make a point.

As the country is gearing to rectify flaws in the political system, crowded places become vulnerable to bomb attacks once again.

Judging from the timing of the attacks, the selection of targets and the assembly of home-made bombs, the masterminds behind the New Year explosions are definitely not amateurs who might download a terrorist manual from the Internet.

On Tuesday, deposed premier Thaksin Shinawatra broke his silence and denied any involve-ment in the bombings. In his statement from Beijing, Thaksin raised the possibility that southern insurgents might be the culprits.

Living in exile, he might not be aware that the bombers were a step ahead of him. All nine home-made bombs were assembled in such a way as to hint at the involvement of the militants. But the explosives were too well-assembled, hence giving out the cover-up ploy.

The so-called car bomb plot in August should serve as a reminder about the deception to blame the southern insurgency for terror attacks in the capital. Rogue soldiers in Bangkok made the car bomb to look like it had been assembled in the South.

Thaksin himself learnt first hand about the bombing attempt allegedly designed to take his life.

Forensic checks and bomb squads have completed their reports on the explosions. It is a curious coincidence that the Internal Security Operations Command has subsequently start-ed to summon many senior mili-tary and police officers for ques-tioning.

These officers are seen as Thaksin's allies. Authorities have not named any suspects but their investigative direction is a tell-tale sign about the political message that came with the explosions.

It is another coincidence that two days after the explosions, the Assets Examination Committee announced it would spell out the graft charges against Thaksin and his cohorts by March. The panel had earlier scheduled to issue indictments by this month.

Though Thaksin has expressed readiness to clear his name, he mentioned in his Beijing statement that graft investigators should not touch his family members.

His two children, Panthongtae and Pinthongta, are scheduled to give their statements in two weeks without the presence of their lawyers. It remains to be seen if the explosions were loud enough to alter the course of justice. Thailand stands at risk of an outbreak of politically motivated violence like Iraq.

The longer the indecision to dispense justice involving Thaksin, the longer society will increasingly face a precarious situation.

The fate of Saddam Hussein destroyed any Iraqi social cohesion - a lesson for not allowing a repeat of one man destroying the Kingdom.

The Thai elite must finalise the decision on Thaksin's fate soon or risk facing social strife. If Thaksin is to be prosecuted, do it quickly so the country can move forward.

Justice should only be served in the courts and not by raising daily innuendoes.

Only after ending the political chapter of the Thaksin regime can the healing process begin. Otherwise the country will see a further mire of political animo-sity.

Avudh Panananda

The Nation