BANGKOK, Thailand — The police on Tuesday said the death toll from Monday night’s bombing in Bangkok had risen to 20 with 125 hurt—victims of a “brutal” attack, which an official said was aimed at killing or injuring innocent people.
The blast – perhaps the biggest attack in the country – was the first major violence following the May 2014 coup. It appeared to target the city’s Erawan Shrine, which is popular with Chinese tourists.
Police spokesman Pol Lt Gen Prawut Thavornsiri confirmed Tuesday morning the higher death toll and injury count.
Prawut corrected an earlier death count where he put the dead at 22. He explained that the higher count was due to confusion over body parts collected from the scene. Body parts collected indicated 22 dead but a thorough check showed that only 20 had died.
National police chief General Somyot Poompanmuang condemned the fatal attack, saying the suspects were very cruel and had every intention to kill innocent people.
“I want to condemn the attack and the attackers who were brutal as they attacked the Erawan Shrine at about 7pm, when it is usually packed with foreign tourists and worshippers,” Somyot said.
Roads leading to Ratchaprasong Intersection would be closed until noon August 18 so police can collect evidence from the scene, he said.
At the time of the blast, Ratchaprasong and the Erawan Shrine were packed with motorists, tourists and worshippers.
The National Council for Peace and Order, which is led by Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha, called an urgent meeting following the blast.
Somyot said a Chinese and a Filipino national were among those killed. Earlier, unconfirmed reports claimed four foreigners were among the casualties.
Somyot said initial inquiries showed the suspects planted an improvised explosive device under a chair close to the fence of the Erawan Shrine. It was a 3kg TNT explosive with a capacity to damage a 100-metre area.
Somyot said he had informed Prayut as well as Deputy Premier and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan of the incident, adding he was not ruling out any possible cause for the attack. The authorities have ordered police to ensure public security.
Initial reports said at least 15 were killed and 100 injured in the explosion. Somyot said another suspected bomb was found by a bomb squad in the same area.
The Police Hospital asked the public to donate blood for dozens of injured victims. Most of the injured were Chinese tourists who were believed to be paying respect to the shrine when the blasts took place.
“It was a TNT bomb… the people who did it targeted foreigners and to damage tourism and the economy,” Prawit said.
Witnesses believed there were two blasts, with the first bomb detonated on a motorcycle parked on the street, while a second was near the Erawan Shrine. The usually busy Ratchaprasong area was immediately sealed off.
Former deputy government spokesman MajGeneral Sansern Kaewkamnerd said Prawit was assigned by the PM to take charge of the situation. He said it was too early to pinpoint the cause.
Security sources said the incident was believed to be politically motivated, and may involve the move to strip former PM Thaksin Shinawatra of his police rank, the draft charter, the looming military reshuffle, and the spillover from unrest in the deep South.
“I was having dinner at the Hyatt Erawan when a large explosion shook the building,” said Eric Seldin, an office worker told DPA. “When we were allowed outside 15 minutes later we saw several bodies covered under white sheets and damage to a nearby shrine.”
TV footage showed emergency workers assisting survivors and body parts scattered on the road. A bomb crater was visible in the courtyard of the Hindu shrine.
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