PM Abhisit Rules Out Emergency Law After PAD Grenade Attack

[webfact]

PM rules out emergency law after PAD attack

By The Nation

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has ruled out enforcement of the emergency decree in the wake of a grenade attack on Tuesday night that injured three people at the rally site of the People's Alliance for Democracy.

Police have identified the device as a type "82-2" hand grenade made in China, which is not in standard usage by the Thai security forces.

Law enforcement authorities started seeing the use of the grenade in violent incidents related to the red-shirt rally last year.

Yesterday morning Abhisit inspected the scene at Makhawan Bridge, next to Government House.

"Police are pursuing all leads and it is too early to draw a conclusion on the attack," he said.

He urged for calm, saying police would need time to resolve the case based on evidence. He said he did not believe the attack happened because of reduced security after last month's cancellation of the Internal Security Act in Bangkok.

After a briefing by investigators at the scene, he paid a hospital visit to Nupan Phuthongngern, one of the three victims.

Nupan, 50, an ice-cream vendor, was admitted for surgery to mend three broken bones and remove bomb fragments, Dr Nithiwat Kitsri-ulai said, adding that the patient sustained serious injuries but was not in critical condition.

Police legal adviser General Pongsapat Pongcharoen said police had not detected a flare-up of violence in connection with election campaigning.

The police hotline 1599 received 139 calls tipping off the whereabouts of fugitive gunmen, he said.

Two 18-year-old men were arrested in Chon Buri for vandalising the campaign billboards of three parties, Democrat, Pheu Thai and Bhum Jai Thai, he said.

The Metropolitan Police Bureau yesterday held the first meeting of investigators working on the PAD grenade attack case.

Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Maj-General Sumeth Ruangsawat said he believed the Chinese grenade had been modified from its original design as a fragmentation bomb.

Forensic checks found that the explosion expelled fewer fragments than expected and burned a motorcycle and an ice-cream pushcart, he said.

"The CCTV footage revealed that a man riding a motorcycle on Krung Kasem Road threw the grenade before fleeing towards Thewakam Intersection," he said.

The attack route was behind the PAD's rally stage and the escape route was from the bridge to Thewet.

Metropolitan Police Region 1 Commander Maj-General Wichai Sangpraphai said the attack was meant to cause a fire and trigger fear, rather than take lives.

Wichai said witnesses saw the man on the motorcycle hurling the grenade. Investigators have yet to uncover the identity of the suspect.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Lt-General Jakthip Chaijinda said he suspected the attack was politically motivated, aiming to stir trouble in the lead-up to the July 3 elections.

PAD leader Chamlong Srimuang instructed rally guards to beef up security measures, particularly checks for weapons and individuals acting suspiciously.

Chamlong criticised the police for their inadequate deployment to ensure safety at the rally site.

PAD spokesman Parnthep Pourpongpan said he saw the attack as intimidation aimed at forcing the PAD to end its rally and its campaign for the "No" vote.

Parnthep called for reinforcement of the police force to help keep the peace.

-- The Nation 2011-06-02

[Buchholz]

Police have identified the device as a type "82-2" hand grenade made in China

an example photo of Chinese 82-2 hand grenades:

From yesterday's thread when it was initially misidentified as an M26 hand grenade...

Police found a bomb trigger believed to be part of an M26 hand grenade on the road.

and from an article in Thai Rath newspaper on the topic showing the found triggering lever:

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

[Gers1873]

Thailand is a political nightmare and the Thai people are becoming increasingly polarized. This in itself is not a bad thing.

When politics turns to violence there are only 'losers' most often innocent victims.

Northern Ireland 30 years of violence, 3,000 plus people dead. Were the terrorists objective achieved. NO

Spain - similar story with ETA now in complete disarray.

Columbia - FARC decades of killings - objective achieved - NO.

Palestine -- similar story.

Moral - violence does not solve political issues. So to all the hot-heads on both sides - CEASE with the bombs and grenades.

Thailand need a leader who can unite the country - so far he has not 'turned up'.:jap:

[ableguy]

Whats the big deal?????? a grenade attack in this country is a misdemeaner