An unidentified device yesterday evening exploded in front of the Big C Rajdamri Supercentre, killing one person and wounding at least ten others waiting at the bus stop near the site of the red-shirt rally two months ago.
An unidentified device yesterday evening exploded in front of the Big C Rajdamri Supercentre, killing one person and wounding at least 10 others waiting at the bus stop near the site of the red-shirt rally two months ago.
The blast at about 5.40pm was the first violent occurrence in the heart of Bangkok since the anti-government demonstration ended on May 19 with 90 people killed.
The 11 victims were taken to Police General Hospital, Chulalongkorn Hospital and Hua Chiew Hospital. Only two were admitted and the rest returned home.
Tawatchai Thongmak, 51, underwent emergency treat-ment at Police General Hospital for severe shrapnel wounds to his chest and abdomen but could not be saved.
Five other victims were identified as Sompat Tangsiripanitch, 46, Somchai Iampracha, 37, Chanu, 24, Puan Pornnithet, 37, Veerasak Tae, 40, a bus driver.
The explosion at the shop-ping area threw bystanders into a panic.
Some tried to get closer to observe the scene. Police ordered people to move away from the site out of concern for their safety.
Police blocked traffic in front of the discount store to allow forensic officials to col-lect evidence. They said the bomb was contained in a garbage bag.
Yuri Kongsoong-nern, 48, a fare collector on a No 2 bus, said she saw fumes coming from the garbage bag after her bus stopped at the store.
"I thought that it was smoke from a cigarette," she said.
A few minutes later, there was a loud sound like a firecracker going off followed by a big bang, she added.
Uraiwan Wiangsong, 32, a street vendor, said the loud discharge happened while she was selling cof-fee near the bus stop.
Special Branch chief Pol Lt-General Treetos Ronnaritchai said he believes the explosion might have been caused by a time bomb. Soldiers also brought in an armoured Humvee to help police at the site.
Acting government spokesman Panitan Wattayagorn said that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva already knew about the Big C explosion and had asked officials to evaluate the situation.
However Abhisit did not mention about cutting short his break on Samet Island to return to Bangkok.
However, Panitan said the government needed to contin-ue the state of emergency as the explosion at Big C indicat-ed the political situation had still not stabilised.