3 Injured In Explosion At Yellow-Shirt Rally In Bangkok

[webfact]

Two injured in grenade attack at PAD rally

By The Nation

An assailant hurled an M26 grenade at the back of the rally stage of the People's Alliance for Democracy late Tuesday night, injuring two men, police said.

The explosion occurred at 10:30 pm, prompting several senior police officers to rush to the demonstration site at the Makkhawan Rangsan Bridge on Rajdamnone Road.

Inspecting the scene were Deputy Police Commissioner-General Pol Gen Phanupong Singhara na Ayutthaya, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Pol Lt Gen Jakthip Chaijinda, Metropolitan Police Division 1 Commander Poj Maj Gen Wichai Sangpraphai and bomb disposal officers from the Metropolitan Police Bureau.

The two injured men were identified as Nupan Phuthongnern, 56, from Udon Thani and Phaithoon Wisetsri, 57.

Nupan, an ice cream vendor, was severely injured as the impact smashed his right leg bone, causing massive bleeding. Both men were rushed to the Vatchara Hospital.

The blast damaged a motorcycle of a demonstrator, Prakarn Prasopchoke, 28, and the ice cream cart of Nupan.

Police found a safety pin of M26 about 10 metres away on the other side of the bridge next to Krung Kasem Road.

Prasopchoke said he parked his motorcycle to join the rally for just 15 minutes before he heard the explosion from the direction where he parked his bike. He rushed back to see his bike and the ice cream cart catching fire. Protesters quickly extinguished the fire and alerted police to inspect the scene.

Wichai, the Metropolitan Police Division 1 chief, said witnesses saw a suspect riding a motorcycle to the bridge and lobbed the grenade before fleeing to the direction of Thewakam Intersection.

When police were inspecting the scene, PAD co-leader Chamlong Srimuang came out to talk to the police officers. He criticized the police for failing to keep security at the rally site.

Chamlong spoke on the stage Wednesday morning, calling on police to provide security for the yellow-shirt demonstrators, saying they were rallying to defend Thai territory.

Shortly after the blast, Suwit Nualmanee, a PAD spokesman, informed the demonstrators of the incident, urging them to go on campaigning for the people to cast "no-voting" ballot.

He said the explosion would not be able to stop the PAD from campaigning against the election.

The PAD's campaigns for voters to say no to the election by marking the "no-voting" slot on ballot papers faded out from public attention since the first day of candidacy registration.

The PAD's campaigns came under the spot light again following the explosion.

-- The Nation 2011-06-01

[webfact]

Metropolitan Police chief says bombing at PAD rally carried out by bomb experts /TAN_Network

[rreddin]

Metropolitan Police chief says bombing at PAD rally carried out by bomb experts /TAN_Network

So, it was staged then? That is one way of getting media attention.

[random]

Metropolitan Police chief says bombing at PAD rally carried out by bomb experts /TAN_Network

wow, you need to be an expert to throw a grenade?

[timekeeper]

Metropolitan Police chief says bombing at PAD rally carried out by bomb experts /TAN_Network

So, it was staged then? That is one way of getting media attention.

probably fake rreds............

[AleG]

While I have no love for the Yellow Shirts they do get bombed a lot. How many times they had grenades thrown at them in the last few years?

[webfact]

Metro Police Bureau hunts bomber, steps up security at PAD Rajdamnoen Road protest site after explosive device hurled near stage, wounding two /MCOT

[webfact]

Metropolitan police chief says fire bomb used in PAD attack

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Pol Lt Gen Jakthip Chaijinda said Wednesday that the bomb used in the attack at the yellow-shirt rally site late Tuesday was not meant for killing.

Jaktip said the bomb was not an M26 grenade as initially believed but it was a fire bomb assembled by an expert.

He said the bomb was meant for making sound and fire.

"The one who assembled it must have good knowledge in bomb assembling. We believe it was meant for creating a situation during the election run-up as the attacker did not aim to take lives," Jakthip said.

-- The Nation 2011-06-01

[maewrocks]

Metropolitan Police chief says bombing at PAD rally carried out by bomb experts /TAN_Network

So, it was staged then? That is one way of getting media attention.

probably fake rreds............

why bother posting this nonsense?

Given your reasoning...probably Dems/ army worried about the no vote campaign causing them to lose

...probably yellows trying to create sympathy & media coverage

We've certainly heard enough claims of reds killing reds...

Get a grip and have a point to your posts!

[Buchholz]

Deja vu for Red Shirt Bombers taking on PAD rallies...

City police have seized a huge cache of military weapons and ammunition that they believe were intended to be used to create chaos during today's rallies.

Thawatchai had two improvised explosive devices with him.

One of the bombs was set to detonate by a clock and another by a cellphone.

After receiving the report, Police searched a flea market on Rama 2 Road Soi 2 and apprehended four other suspects.

They also seized a huge cache of military grade weapons and ammunition including a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, three RPG-2 rounds, 34 M79 rounds, 35 M60 rounds and 300 rounds of assorted ammunition.

All of the suspects, who were former red-shirt guards, said they were hired to stage bombings at the TPN and PAD rallies to incite disorder.

Edited June 1, 2011 by Buchholz

[DP25]

While I have no love for the Yellow Shirts they do get bombed a lot. How many times they had grenades thrown at them in the last few years?

Throwing grenades at your opponents is what true democracy is about

[timekeeper]

While I have no love for the Yellow Shirts they do get bombed a lot. How many times they had grenades thrown at them in the last few years?

that would naturally lead to the question of how many times the reds get bombed?

not many..........

[timekeeper]

Metropolitan Police chief says bombing at PAD rally carried out by bomb experts /TAN_Network

So, it was staged then? That is one way of getting media attention.

probably fake rreds............

why bother posting this nonsense?

Given your reasoning...probably Dems/ army worried about the no vote campaign causing them to lose

...probably yellows trying to create sympathy & media coverage

We've certainly heard enough claims of reds killing reds...

Get a grip and have a point to your posts!

''why bother posting this nonsense?''

''Get a grip and have a point to your posts!''

thats rich coming from you..........LOL

Edited June 1, 2011 by timekeeper

[Who, me ?]

With elections coming soon, we might see more events like this, involving all sides.... Nasty campaign. I am not sure that these elections will bring any solution to the divisions that this country is facing.

[webfact]

Blast wounds two at Thai political rally: police

BANGKOK, June 1, 2011 (AFP) - Two people were injured in a blast believed to have been caused by a hand grenade at a political protest by Thailand's "Yellow Shirt" demonstrators near Government House, police said Wednesday.

The blast occurred late Tuesday when two men on a motorcycle tossed the device behind a stage at the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) rally, said Major General Wichai Sungprapai from Bangkok Metropolitan Police.

"The incident happened at around 10:30 pm (1530 GMT). One man, an ice-cream vendor, was critically wounded, and the other man, a protester, was slightly injured," he told AFP.

"We believe perpetrators wanted to incite unrest. There were some 200 protesters at the time of the bomb attack," he said.

Hundreds of the royalist PAD have camped out around the Thai government's compound since late January, demonstrating against its handling of a border dispute with neighbouring Cambodia.

In Thailand's divisive and colour-coded politics, the yellow-clad group has helped unseat three governments in under five years, including that of fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

The movement has been aligned to Thailand's ruling Democrat Party in the past, but the relationship appears to have soured, and the Yellows' leaders have urged people to reject all the candidates in July 3 general elections.

There are fears that the hard-fought campaign will bring fresh violence to the country, where more than 150 candidates in the vote have sought around-the-clock police protection, officials said Tuesday.

The election will be the first since Thailand was rocked by its deadliest political violence in decades last year, when more than 90 people died in a series of clashes between armed police and opposition "Red Shirt" protesters.

Last week police said they were seeking the 75 "most wanted" professional killers in Thailand, announcing a bounty of up to 100,000 baht ($3,300) each, in an attempt to boost security ahead of the polls.

An opposition politician was shot and wounded in early May in what the authorities said appeared to be a politically motivated attack.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2011-06-01

[webfact]

Two wounded in Yellow Shirt rally site explosion

BANGKOK, June 1 -- Investigators from the Metropolitan Police Bureau in the Thai capital are inspecting the scene and combing through closed-circuit television footage for possible images of the bomber who hurled an explosive device into the Rajdamnoen Road rally site of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), the Yellow Shirts, wounding two.

Led by Deputy National Police Chief Pol Gen Panupong Singhara Na Ayutthaya, the metro police bomb squad inspected the scene at a bridge parallel to Makkawan Rangsan Bridge where the PAD stage is the focus of protest against the government on its handling of the conflict with Cambodia.

The bridge is on the same side of the road as the Ministry of Education compound.

The mangled remains of a black and white motorcycle destroyed by the blast were found at the scene and a damaged ice cream pushcart was nearby. Police found a bomb trigger believed to be part of an M26 hand grenade on the road.

Initial reports said two were wounded from the explosion; an ice cream seller whose right leg was broken and remains hospitalised, and another person who was slightly injured and has gone home.

Witnesses said an assailant with a black jacket and safety helmet drove a white motorcycle to the scene before hurling the bomb backstage at about 10.30pm before fleeing.

The bomb fell some 10 metres from the stage.

The owner of the destroyed motorcycle said he came to the rally and parked his motorcycle just 15 minutes before the bomb exploded. He believed the incident was not personal as he has never had any conflict with anyone.

Metropolitan Police Chief Pol Lt Gen Chakthip Chaichinda called a meeting of police at 10am to hunt the bomber and deployed more police at the rally site for better security. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2011-06-01

[webfact]

Fire Bomb Lobbed at PAD Rally Site

The city police chief reveals that the bomb attack at the yellow-shirt rally site late last night aimed at creating chaos as the bomb is a fire bomb and is not life-threatening.

He denies security officers were negligent in their duties of providing safety for the protesters.

Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, Police General Chakthip Chaijinda, revealed the investigation into the bombing late last night near the rally site of the yellow-shirt People's Alliance for Democracy or PAD is still ongoing. An initial probe found that the perpertrator used a fire bomb, which is similar to an M-26 grenade.

The city police chief went on to say that this kind of fire bomb is not fatal or life-threatening and said the person who assembled the explosive must have a sound knowledge of bomb-making technique.

Chakthip believes that the bomber only aimed at creating disturbance prior to the election as the bomb is not life-threatening.

The city police chief also denied that police officers have been negligent in their duties in providing safety for the protesters, citing that the number of security officers have been reduced after the Internal Security Act had been lifted.

The bomb injured three individuals one of which has now been discharged from hospital.

An ice cream vendor is still in critical condition as he was in the direct path of the bomb.

He has been relocated from Vajira to Hua Chiew Hospital.

PAD Spokesman Parnthep Puapongpan disclosed that the group has been asking for an increase in the number of police officers to take care of security around the assembly area but the request has been ignored.

Parnthep refused to speculate on the cause of the attack, prefering to leave it for the police to determine.

-- Tan Network 2011-06-01

[webfact]

PM inspects bomb scene at PAD rally site, visits blast victim; instructs police to boost protection; no plan to reintroduce special security law /MCOT

[webfact]

PAD Chides Govt for Grenade Attack

The People's Alliance for Democracy criticizes the government for failing to provide sufficient security at its rally site, eventually leading to last night's grenade attack.

The group also demands that the perpetrators be brought to justice.

Spokesperson for the People's Alliance for Democracy, Panthep Puapongpan, commented on last night's grenade attack at PAD rally, saying that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has broken his promise that the government would guarantee security for the yellow-shirt protesters if they opened up traffic lanes through the rally site.

Panthep said however, that no police officers have been dispatched as promised.

He said PAD leader Chamlong Srimuang had asked police to oversee security at the rally but the request fell on deaf ears.

Panthep said this demonstrated the government's incompetency in ensuring public safety.

The PAD spokesperson believes that the attack was probably aimed at intimidating the yellow-shirt leaders as they have been pressuring the government to defend national sovereignty and organizing the “Vote No” campaign.

Panthep also said that the attack could just be an attempt to stir up unrest during the period leading up to the election.

He asserted that the government needs to protect the people and bring the culprits to justice, especially since there were many CCTV cameras around the area.

If not, the group will consider the government responsible for the incident.

Prapan Koonmee, another yellow-shirt leader, claimed that the rally may affect the election outcome and cause some bitter party to try to force the PAD to end its gathering.

He believes that certain politicians are responsible for the attack and that police will be able to catch the perpetrators because there are many CCTV cameras in the area.

-- Tan Network 2011-06-01

[elliss]

Metropolitan Police chief says bombing at PAD rally carried out by bomb experts /TAN_Network

wow, you need to be an expert to throw a grenade?

not a problem, if you are trained in the army .

sturring up unrest , before the election ?.

:jap:

the good news the baht is weakening .

[rubl]

In the same TAN/Network article posted in this thread

"The city police chief went on to say that this kind of fire bomb is not fatal or life-threatening ..."

and

"An ice cream vendor is still in critical condition as he was in the direct path of the bomb."

So the conclusion is 'it's the ice cream vendor's own fault to be wounded, he stood in the way'

Edited June 1, 2011 by rubl

[otherstuff1957]

I'm no fan of the Yellowshirts, and Chamlong is a real douchbag, but they have been at the receiving end of grenade and bomb attacks since the day they started. Back when they were doing that nonsense at Government House & the Airport, they were attacked with grenades almost daily.

I think that it is highly unlikely that all of those dozens of bombs were thrown their own leaders or by military supporters. They have plenty of enemies who would be undoubtedly be happy to throw a few bombs at them.

Speaking of bombs, whatever happened with that connection between the fellow who blew himself (and is neighbors) up in Nonthaburi and that PT politicians assistant? I never heard anything else after the police questioned her. I wonder how much he had to pay to get that investigation squelched?

[otherstuff1957]

A quick googling of "Grenade and PAD" gets plenty of hits, mostly from 2008 & 2009, when they were doing their best to bring down the Somchai Government.

[/url]

Bangkok Post : Grenade attack at PAD rally site

1 Jun 2011 ...

Bangkok Post : M79 grenade used in attack on PAD rally

17 Nov 2009 ... The explosion that wounded 12 people

Violence Escalates in Bangkok- 10 PAD Members Injured in Grenade ...

7 posts - 3 authors - Last post: 31 Oct 2008One Dead, 10 Injured in Bombings, Gunshots at PAD Protest Site

WWNO: Grenade injures two at Bangkok "yellow shirt" rally (2011-05-31)

31 May 2011 ... BANGKOK (Reuters) - A motorcyclist threw a home-made grenade

Grenade blast wounds 46 protesters in Bangkok

1 post - 1 author - Last post: 29 Nov 2008BANGKOK (*******) – A grenade blast wounded 46 anti-governmen

Bangkok grenade blast wounds eight on eve of major anti ...

22 Nov 2008 ... Eight protesters were wounded after a grenade blast in Bangkok today

Bangkok chaos grows after grenade attack on opposition protesters ...

30 Nov 2008 ... Opposition leader blames government supporters for grenade attack that ... PAD supporters are also blockading Bangkok's Don Muang airport

AFP: Thai PM warns of further attacks after grenade blast

29 Jul 2010 ... BANGKOK — A grenade blast in Bangkok Friday left one man serio

One Man Critically Injured in Central Bangkok Grenade Attack ...

27 Aug 2010 ... A security guard has been critically injured in a grenade explosion

[Buchholz]

Metropolitan Police chief says bombing at PAD rally carried out by bomb experts /TAN_Network

wow, you need to be an expert to throw a grenade?

not a problem, if you are trained in the army .

sturring up unrest , before the election ?.

not a problem if you're trained by Red Shirts as the earlier post of their previous grenading shows; those guys and a least a half dozen other cases of red shirts and grenade-related charges

[OZEMADE]

Soooo in the end it was a big fire cracker that went off 10 metres behind the stage area.

[mrtoad]

not a problem, if you are trained in the army .

sturring up unrest , before the election ?.

:jap:

the good news the baht is weakening .

More like something to do with those "democratic freedom fighters" that held Bangkok to ransom last year for 4 months.

[Buchholz]

Soooo in the end it was a big fire cracker that went off 10 metres behind the stage area.

yeah, sure sounds like a firecracker.

The mangled remains of a black and white motorcycle destroyed by the blast were found at the scene

an ice cream seller whose right leg was broken and remains hospitalised

Thai Rath newspaper

http://www.thairath.co.th/gallery/view/pol/3551#

[tragickingdom]

How convenient. The army let something explodes, at a stage where a group of losers have gathered and who nobody takes serious anymore and we can point fingers at will. Maybe even arrest a few candidates to give the DP some breathing space. Violence before the elections, is mostly arranged for by people in power.

[Buchholz]

How convenient. The army let something explodes, at a stage where a group of losers have gathered and who nobody takes serious anymore and we can point fingers at will. Maybe even arrest a few candidates to give the DP some breathing space. Violence before the elections, is mostly arranged for by people in power.

1. It's a police matter, not the Army.

2. No one "let" an explosion occur.

3. Multiple Red Shirts have been charged over similar incidents. Some have confessed and pled guilty, others are still awaiting trials.

4. Not all the Red Shirts charged over similar incidents have been captured.

5. There's some 20 Red Shirts on Pheu Thai Party candidate lists aka people with power.

[Derifo]

While I have no love for the Yellow Shirts they do get bombed a lot. How many times they had grenades thrown at them in the last few years?

I've actually lost count. They should have expected it to happen, anyway.