Bombing Injures 13 At Open Market In Bangkok

[taxexile]

Bomb injures 13 at Bangkok open market

Asia-Pacific News

Nov 13, 2008, 1:57 GMT

Bangkok - A bomb hurled Thursday morning at protestors at Klong Toey Market in Bangkok injured 13 people, two of whom were in critical condition, police said.

'Eyewitnesses said the bomb was thrown by a man on a motorcycle from the bridge that overlooks the market,' said Police Colonel Suthip Palitkusontat, of the Klong Toey Port Police Station.

Vendors at the famed open air market - the largest in the capital - have been protesting efforts to evict them by a private company that won a new lease on the area on October 29.

The market is owned by the Port Authority of Thailand (PAT), the state enterprise that operates Bangkok's Klong Toey Port and other commercial ports in the kingdom.

In March, the PAT ended its concession with the previous operator of Klong Toey market, and took new bids from the private sector.

Legal Professional Company was granted the concession on October 29, but the old operator, comprising three companies, has refused to vacate the market and continues to collect rents from more than 1,000 vendors, PAT officials said.

The chairman of Legal Professional is Thamanat Pompao, whom Klong Toey vendors claim is a former army captain with a criminal record.

The vendors, worried that Legal Professional will increase their rents, have been protesting against the new management since Tuesday, disrupting traffic in the area.

The protest was stopped temporarily on Thursday, in a show of deference to the royal funeral for Princess Galyani Vadhana, King Bhumibol Adulyadej's eldest sister who died in January.

Protests are set to resume after the funeral ends on Tuesday.

Edited November 13, 2008 by taxexile

[Jai Dee]

13 injured in explosion near Klong Toey market

An explosion occurred at a Bangkok intersection where vendors of the Klong Toey Market were rallying, injuring 13 of them, two severely.

Police quoted witness as saying a bag was dropped from the flyover over the Ratchada-Rama IV Intersection, causing the explosion at 1 am Friday.

Bomb disposal officers have yet to determine the type of the bomb.

Some 1,000 vendors have been staging a protest at the intersection since Tuesday afternoon against the Port Authority of Thailand and Legal Co. The vendors protested against what they claimed to be unfair treatment against vendors at the Klong Toey market.

The injured protesters were rushed to the Kluay Nam Thai and Chulalongkorn hospitals.

Two of them were severely injured. They are Yakob Lohmoh, 51, and Penthiwawan Kaewsuk, 37.

Sujittra Damrongsiri, 52, a protester, said she saw a man on a motorcycle dropped a plastic bag onto the tent where the protesters were resting and an explosion occurred shortly.

Pol Lt Col Prapassorn Chartprom, deputy commander of the Tha Rua police station, quoted witnesses as saying that the bag did not explode immediately but it exploded about five seconds after it landed on the tent's roof.

Source: The Nation - 13 November 2008

[peter991]

My condolences to the families of the deceased. I hope the Thai Police make a determined effort to catch the culprit.

It used to be that fires were lit and people's homes burnt down when they wanted the land. This is a new low.

Peter

[animatic]

Yes a new low,

and a action of opportunity, considering the government talk the last two days.

Yes blame it on unrest, PAD, DAAD etc, anyone but the new landlords trying to clear out

the poor street vendors. So far no one has died, but that may not last long.

Sad, too sad.

My condolences to the families of the injured.

[sriracha john]

Bomb injures 13 at Bangkok open market

Bangkok - A bomb hurled Thursday morning at protestors at Klong Toey Market in Bangkok injured 13 people, two of whom were in critical condition, police said.

The PM's warning on Tuesday was correct...

PM warns of risk on Loy Krathong

PM Somchai Tuesday warned general public to avoid going to crowded places at a full moon festival on Wednesday for fear that a third party could use the opportunity to instigate unrest. "I am really concerned about tomorrow night as people celebrate Loy Krathong. If possible, please avoid places where a large number of people are gathered," Somchai said. Somchai said he has assigned police to tighten security in the capital to ensure safety.

[0Mix1up]

ugly

i never understand why there is not retaliation for those types of brutal actions

13 people and many families affected

could add up to 100 or more with cause to act.

[george]

15 wounded in bomb attack at Klong Toey market protest site

BANGKOK: -- Fifteen people were wounded, two seriously, when an assailant threw a bomb into a group of vendors at Klong Toey market in Bangkok who were protesting against new concessionaire, a new management company for the market.

A witness said he saw a man thrown an undetermined type of bomb or explosive device from the flyover bridge of the Ratchada-Rama IV intersection into the group of protesters before it exploded and hurt the protesting market vendors.

The wounded protesters were sent to hospital for treatment. The incident occurred shortly after midnight, at a time when the sounds of Loy Krathong being celebrated by people setting off fireworks was still being heard.

Hundreds of vendors in Klong Toey market have been staging a protest at the intersection since Tuesday afternoon against the Port Authority of Thailand (PAT) and the Legal Professional Company which has won a concession from PAT to manage the market.

The vendors protested against what they claimed to be unfair treatment against vendors at the market. They also doubt the transparency in bidding process to claim the concession to manage the market. --

-- TNA 2008-11-13

[BangkokBP]

I live about 800 meters from Klong Toey market and was woken up by the blast, it was quite loud.

It is sad that people feel its OK to maim and kill people for their own gain, a bloody shame.

[george]

Blast at Bangkok market wounds 13

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) -- A blast wounded 13 people in Thailand's capital early Thursday when assailants hurled an explosive device at market vendors who had gathered to protest a rent hike at the government-owned facility, police said.

The blast occurred in the Thai capital at around 1 a.m. local time when some protesters were sleeping in makeshift tents while others gathered outdoors, Pol. Col. Sutip Palitkusontap said. Twelve of the injured were hospitalized, two of them with serious injuries, he said.

Hundreds of vendors who operate stalls at the outdoor market have been staging a protest against the facility's new privately contracted management company since Wednesday afternoon, Sutip said.

Two men were seen dropping a plastic bag from a fly-over bridge to the protest side at an intersection in Klong Toey district before the blast occurred, Sutip said, citing witnesses.

"It remains unclear what kind of explosive device it was and who was behind the attack," he said.

There was no claim of responsibility for the attack and no indication that the blast was related to Thailand's continuing political strife, which has included protesters camping outside the prime minister's offices.

The market's land is owned by Port Authority of Thailand, which recently hired new management for the market. The protesters allege the bidding process for the hiring was not transparent, and that they have been treated unfairly by the new management.

Officials at the Port Authority of Thailand could not immediately be reached for comment.

-- CNN 2008-11-13

[ozsamurai]

I live about 500m from there, and did not hear a thing, although wife has been down to get the oil on what was going on, and word on the street is it involves a Younger/Elder brother feud, one of which has brought in some ghetto support. Any rate I'm not walking down there at any time.

Oz

[anon467367354]

I don't know a lot about this, the vendors in Klong Toey, but I'm thinking that if I buy a piece of property, and it is overrun by noisy dirty vendors littering the area with grease and trash, thus bringing down the value to my investment, why should they persist? Is relocation totally out of the question? Is some kind of code of conduct out of the question? Should it be that in the name of making money anything should be allowed, as it seems to be at this point? This is a huge city, change is real, nothing ever stays the same from one moment to the next, so why assume that they can or should stay. I think a relocation assistance program would be useful here, if that kind of consideration is not beneath those that would benefit. With the violence, everone loses. My heart goes out to those that will suffer from these inconsiderate actions. The concept of consequence should be taught at an early age, because from what I can tell here, the people do not understand the consequence of their actions. This is a sad day in LOS.

[wrecker]

There is nothing wrong with hurdling a bomb into a crowd in Thailand. The PAD does it all the time, they even have armed guards who are allowed to shoot policemen who are refused helpo by Chulalongkorn hospital aftwerwards for doing their duty. Most marketplaces are led by outright criminals murder, bombings and extortion are rather common. Both here as over the border. The problem is that most standup guys in unifrom are criminals. That is why they can drive a 7 million baht Benz with a petrol bill which is higher than their monthly salary. The problem is that criminality by the elite is tolerated in Thailand, even admired. Only the poor get locked up.

Sadly enough we will have to face much larger scale bombings later. Probably again carried out by the PAD to discredit Thaksin around New Year.

[thaibkk]

nice way to scare of tourists and show how corrupt this country is in everything

[sriracha john]

There is nothing wrong with hurdling a bomb into a crowd in Thailand. The PAD does it all the time, they even have armed guards who are allowed to shoot policemen who are refused helpo by Chulalongkorn hospital aftwerwards for doing their duty. Most marketplaces are led by outright criminals murder, bombings and extortion are rather common. Both here as over the border. The problem is that most standup guys in unifrom are criminals. That is why they can drive a 7 million baht Benz with a petrol bill which is higher than their monthly salary. The problem is that criminality by the elite is tolerated in Thailand, even admired. Only the poor get locked up.

Sadly enough we will have to face much larger scale bombings later. Probably again carried out by the PAD to discredit Thaksin around New Year.

Ironic that the Prime Minister knew about this beforehand, huh?

[SabaiBKK]

nice way to scare of tourists and show how corrupt this country is in everything

i don't understand why the police simply don't arrest Thamanat Pompao the owner of the new company as it is clear that he ordered the thugs to beat up the vendors and that he sent the bomber .... what do they have in the brain ? water?

[KohKarrang]

i never understand why there is not retaliation for those types of brutal actions

Probably because the brutal actions were the actions of a power very high up...

Funny how the government warned of this exact thing happening just a couple of days ago, funny how the new owner is so close to the "government".

This poor old country, doesn't know which way to turn, do the people who voted for this "government" really know what this "government" is doing to it's own people? Sadly I don't think so and even more sadly I don't think they even care, with so many faces turning away whilst these kind of things are happening

[SabaiBKK]

Should it be that in the name of making money anything should be allowed, as it seems to be at this point?

Hello, wake up and smell the coffee ! This is Thailand

[KohKarrang]

nice way to scare of tourists and show how corrupt this country is in everything

i don't understand why the police simply don't arrest Thamanat Pompao the owner of the new company as it is clear that he ordered the thugs to beat up the vendors and that he sent the bomber .... what do they have in the brain ? water?

Simple - because the new police chief in the area is so close to the "government" and pretty much everybody involved in all of this sorry tale that's going on in this country at the moment is bent as a nine bob note...

[Pi Sek]

There is nothing wrong with hurdling a bomb into a crowd in Thailand. The PAD does it all the time...

Sadly enough we will have to face much larger scale bombings later. Probably again carried out by the PAD to discredit Thaksin around New Year.

<snip> What's this got to do with the PAD? Or Somchai for that matter (apart from him giving license for this kind of stuff to happen)?

And you really thing the PAD did the NY's bombings before? <snip>

Edited November 13, 2008 by Jai Dee
flames deleted

[anon467367354]

Should it be that in the name of making money anything should be allowed, as it seems to be at this point?

Hello, wake up and smell the coffee ! This is Thailand

So after smelling the coffee, the realization is that there should be a sign posted somewhere on or near the gate, Warning! This country is owned and operated, and inhabited by Thai people, enter at your own risk. That's BS, I should like to give the Thai people more credit than that, no matter how difficult the task may be.

[taxexile]

Warning! This country is owned and operated, and inhabited by Thai people, enter at your own risk.

that actually is a very good idea , given the way things work here.

[yumidesign]

Ironic that the Prime Minister knew about this beforehand, huh?

this thought also came immediately to mind where the is smoke there is fire, if he knew about it why was it allowed to happen could it be that he was the brother in law of the new owner of the market, in a previous life.........

but tragic for the poor innocent people effected

[sriracha john]

Warning! This country is owned and operated, and inhabited by Thai people, enter at your own risk.

that actually is a very good idea , given the way things work here.

Spotted at a little-used, small, backwoods border crossing coming over from the Lao frontier....

[webtv]

wow.. This is the market I used to go to every morning.. Walk to from Sukhumvit Plus to get my vegies.

I hope ............................. and I offer my condolences to the families.

[auserb]

Ok my dear friend, can anbody tell me what is going to happen on, and after 16. of November.

I heard loads of crap (I hope) . please explain

[madmitch]

I don't know a lot about this, the vendors in Klong Toey, but I'm thinking that if I buy a piece of property, and it is overrun by noisy dirty vendors littering the area with grease and trash, thus bringing down the value to my investment, why should they persist? Is relocation totally out of the question? Is some kind of code of conduct out of the question? Should it be that in the name of making money anything should be allowed, as it seems to be at this point? This is a huge city, change is real, nothing ever stays the same from one moment to the next, so why assume that they can or should stay. I think a relocation assistance program would be useful here, if that kind of consideration is not beneath those that would benefit. With the violence, everone loses. My heart goes out to those that will suffer from these inconsiderate actions. The concept of consequence should be taught at an early age, because from what I can tell here, the people do not understand the consequence of their actions. This is a sad day in LOS.

There aren't new owners here, just a new management company. The details of the dispute are just pure speculation for we farangs. It could well be that an alternative location has been offered; we don't know, but that doesn't always appease. There's been an ongoing dispute, still unresolved I believe, at Bobay market for a couple of years now. A couple of markets have successfully relocdated here in Phuket recently so it does happen.

Deposing tenants by violent means is nothing new here, though the usual method is to go in and demolish the stalls and everyone's livelihood during the cover of darkness. Soi 10 beer bars and the back of Chatuchak market spring to mind.

I used to live pretty close to Klongtoey Market and am saddened by this news. I hope the truth comes out soon, before it is all forgotten and swept under the carpet.

[fsuthai]

I live about 500m from there, and did not hear a thing, although wife has been down to get the oil on what was going on, and word on the street is it involves a Younger/Elder brother feud, one of which has brought in some ghetto support. Any rate I'm not walking down there at any time.

Oz

That's probably a wise course of action to not take (but not a very bold statement coming from a "samurai"---so you send your wife?). Any one that would drop an explosive device into a crowd of poor vendors just trying to make a living (or order someone else to do so) is lower than pond scum! The human race needs some kind of litmus test to identify those that are greedy, violent in nature, and uncaring of the life and comfort of others. Those types need to be isolated and restricted (but, these days they seem to be the 'majority'...so it won't be happening anytime soon). Incidentally, people don't live in ghettos by choice and no civilized country should allow conditions that make them necessary.

I was lucky enough to watch the Loy Kratong celebration in my village here in northern Thailand and there were several fireworks explosions strong enough to shake the ground 1/2 k across the rice paddies. They were for amusement here but one or more of those would cause great damage in a crowded marketplace.

Sounds like the bottom line is that the Port Authority needs to be cleaned up. The rampant corruption of public officials is certainly not unique to Thailand but, IMHO, I think the King should devote what energies he can spare to correcting governmental corruption and commercial cheats. He is the only individual here with the influence to effect any substantial changes. Good luck, Thailand...you're too great a nation & people to allow the few 'rich & still greedy' to ruin your country's reputation and concern for the less fortunate.

Paul, MaeRim

[angiud]

There is nothing wrong with hurdling a bomb into a crowd in Thailand. The PAD does it all the time, they even have armed guards who are allowed to shoot policemen who are refused helpo by Chulalongkorn hospital aftwerwards for doing their duty. Most marketplaces are led by outright criminals murder, bombings and extortion are rather common. Both here as over the border. The problem is that most standup guys in unifrom are criminals. That is why they can drive a 7 million baht Benz with a petrol bill which is higher than their monthly salary. The problem is that criminality by the elite is tolerated in Thailand, even admired. Only the poor get locked up.

Sadly enough we will have to face much larger scale bombings later. Probably again carried out by the PAD to discredit Thaksin around New Year.

Your post is confused and IMO

[KohKarrang]

Your post is confused and IMO

I think I agree

[fsuthai]

Warning! This country is owned and operated, and inhabited by Thai people, enter at your own risk.

that actually is a very good idea , given the way things work here.

Spotted at a little-used, small, backwoods border crossing coming over from the Lao frontier....

Hey Sriracha John: Your sign is obviously a phony. I love the Thais dearly but they have never put that many English words together without a grammatical error or misspelled word or two...