Car Bomb Suspected In Hat Yai Hotel

[Lite Beer]

Car bomb suspected in Hat Yai hotel

Supitcha Rattana,

Thoranit Pirunlaong,

Somchai Samart

The Nation on Sunday

A fireman walks next to heavy smoke during efforts to extinguish a blaze at Lee Gardens Plaza Hotel in Songkhla

SONGKHLA: At least four people were killed and about 300 injured in an explosion and fire at a Hat Yai hotel yesterday - suspected to have been caused by a bomb in a car parked in the basement.

Surin Veerasuk, a senior mechanic from Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Regional Centre 12, made that assessment after leading his team to inspect the explosion scene at the Lee Gardens Plaza Hotel. He said the car's licence plate number was unknown.

Songkhla Governor Krissada Boonraj did not confirm if the explosion was caused by a car bomb, as no bomb parts were found even though many cars parked inside the basement were seriously damaged. He said he would wait for Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) specialists to inspect the scene and decide what caused the blast.

The death toll at press time yesterday, the governor confirmed that two men and a woman had been killed but he did not name the victims or give any further information.

There were reports that one of the men killed was burnt to death in the hotel basement. Some of the victims were suspected to have died of smoke inhalation. Meanwhile, the injured were taken to five hospitals nearby. Eightyseven of them were rushed to Hat Yai Hospital, 132 to Songklanagarind Hospital, 52 to Rajyindee Hospital, 29 to Bangkok Hospital Hat Yai and 26 to Sikarin Hat Yai Hospital.

Hat Yai Hospital director Dr Kuldej Techanaparukse said most of the patients sent to the hospital suffered from smoke inhalation and were wounded as they fell while they ran to survive. Around 27 of 87 patients had not been discharged.

At around 1pm, the bomb exploded at the building, which is the hotel and a shopping complex.

Initial reports said that the big fire engulfed after a gas explosion at a fast food restaurant inside the building, and later authorities suspected if it was caused by the car bomb.

It took four hours to extinguish the fire.

Hat Yai Municipality Mayor Prai Pattano said he suspected the fire was caused by a car bomb. He said tourists and locals in the building were already evacuated to safe places, but the area was sealed for safety pending engineer inspection as the building might be cracked from bomb impact.

A press conference due to be held at 5pm yesterday to reveal details of the Songkran festivities in Songkhla was cancelled

-- The Nation 2012-04-01

[Lite Beer]

Car bomb caused deadly Thai hotel blast

Bangkok, April 1, 2012 (AFP) - A deadly fire at a hotel in southern Thailand was caused by a car bomb planted by suspected insurgents, the national police chief said in remarks televised on Sunday.

The fire killed three people, including a Malaysian tourist, and injured hundreds of others, according to a revised toll given by the provincial governor.

It came on the same day as deadly bomb blasts killed 10 people elsewhere in the region.

"Yes it was a car bomb and it's related to the incident (bombs) in Yala and I believe that it was the work of the same group. The vehicle used was a Honda," national police chief General Priewpan Damapong said.

The fire Saturday at the Lee Gardens Hotel in Hat Yai, the largest city in southern Thailand, was initially thought to have been caused by a gas explosion in the basement.

The death toll was revised downwards after two people believed to be dead were resuscitated, Songkhla provincial governor Grisada Boorach said.

A total of 416 people were injured, mostly suffering from smoke inhalation, and 140 were still in hospital, he said.

The hotel attack came as two bombs in the southern town of Yala killed 10 people and wounded 117.

Colonel Pramote Promin, spokesman for the southern army region, said 29 people were still in hospital.

The blasts hit minutes apart in the centre of Yala around midday as families were out shopping, in the most deadly attack in recent years in the Muslim-majority south of mainly Buddhist Thailand.

A complex insurgency, without clearly stated aims, has plagued Thailand's far south near the border with Malaysia since 2004, claiming thousands of lives, both Buddhist and Muslim, with near-daily bomb or gun attacks.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2012-04-01

[Dibbler]

Its time the Thai govt admits to the secret they have been keeping this past 8 yrs. This is an insurgency sponsored in part by the govt of thailands southern neighbour. With insurgents receiving training on malaysia soil, syria and libya. If thailand wants control of the southern provinces better bring in properly trained counter insurgent enforcement staff to deal with the situation appropriately.

[Jerrytheyoung]

Its time the Thai govt admits to the secret they have been keeping this past 8 yrs. This is an insurgency sponsored in part by the govt of thailands southern neighbour. With insurgents receiving training on malaysia soil, syria and libya. If thailand wants control of the southern provinces better bring in properly trained counter insurgent enforcement staff to deal with the situation appropriately.

Fully wrong, Malaysia is helping Thailand. Even Dr Mahatir has tried a mediation around a year ago. Malaysian people are too much busy by doing business and developing their own country, they need a peaceful environment, having paid an heavy tribute years ago to the racial divisions. The current motto is "1 Malaysia". Malaysia is actively hunting for islamist extremists, jailing or killing them (as recently for an leader caught in Johor Bahru area)

In the current HatYai issue, one Malaysian has been killed and at least 17 injured.

If you want to know about the conflict read this (conflict in Southern Thailand SIPRI paper number 20) http://books.sipri.org/files/PP/SIPRIPP20.pdf

[Payboy]

The mirror-under-the-car check didn't work so well then.

[canuckamuck]

What percentage of terrorist activity in the world, is carried out by Muslims?

I think there must be a connection.

[sfbandung]

What percentage of terrorist activity in the world, is carried out by Muslims?

I think there must be a connection.

Agree. It must be right up there.

[cgphuket]

What percentage of terrorist activity in the world, is carried out by Muslims?

I think there must be a connection.

Agree. It must be right up there.

98%?

[IMA_FARANG]

Its time the Thai govt admits to the secret they have been keeping this past 8 yrs. This is an insurgency sponsored in part by the govt of thailands southern neighbour. With insurgents receiving training on malaysia soil, syria and libya. If thailand wants control of the southern provinces better bring in properly trained counter insurgent enforcement staff to deal with the situation appropriately.

The situation is a little more complex than that. Indonesia also has a part in training and supporting the Muslim insurgents. Also a lot of the funding comes from the Gulf countries...Dubai, the UAE, and also Saudi sources. There is also a local "home-grown" contingent from southern Thailand. The foriegners tend to be the more radical, the "home-grown" faction usually is more moderate, but that's not always true.

Also, the Thai military itself, is doing itself no favors in the south with it's heavy-handed treatment of Thai Muslim civilans in that area. One example is searching female Thai Muslim schoolgirls using male security forces. In a Muslim area, that kind of thing only makes otherwise peaceful civilians more unhappy.

But it is a complex situation....and there is a lot of problems and distrust on both sides.

[BigSkip]

So sad, innocent people continue to die.........................When will it stop???

[Jerrytheyoung]

As I have already stated in the yesterday thread now locked: to put all the load on the muslim is unfair for the large majority of them and it is helping the terrorists, small minority which is very happy that some are enlarging their base to all muslims. Be more cute and do not fall in their trap!

[PaulHamon]

So sad, innocent people continue to die.........................When will it stop???

it has happened since the start of time, and will continue until the end.

[Lite Beer]

Thai police chief confirms car bomb caused Hat Yai hotel blast

SONGKHLA, March 31 - Thailand's national police chief Priewpan Damapong confirmed on Sunday that the explosion in the underground parking of Lee Gardens Plaza Hotel on Saturday was caused by a car bomb linked to bombings in Yala.

The death toll from the hotel blast has been revised from five to three with 354 people injured.

The death toll was earlier reported at five but Songkhla provincial governor Grisada Boorach and public health ministry inspector Dr Boonruang Trairuangvorawat (MD) revised down the death toll to three.

A Malaysian tourist was among those killed.

Pol Gen Priewpan earlier inspected damage from the blasts and fire at the hotel on Sunday. He ordered forensics experts and police commander region 9 to collect evidence to bring the culprits to justice.

Initially, the police found that the hotel blast was linked to bombings in Yala, occurring about one hour before which killed 10 people and wounded more than 100 others.

The Lee Gardens Plaza Hotel compound was cordoned off and hotel guests were moved to stay at the older Lee Gardens Hotel. A tourist service centre was set up at the hotel to assist tourists. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-04-01

[boggle]

Stayed at the Lee Gardens Hotel a few times and parked my car underneath. Makes you (me) think.

[GentlemanJim]

Its time the Thai govt admits to the secret they have been keeping this past 8 yrs. This is an insurgency sponsored in part by the govt of thailands southern neighbour. With insurgents receiving training on malaysia soil, syria and libya. If thailand wants control of the southern provinces better bring in properly trained counter insurgent enforcement staff to deal with the situation appropriately.

The situation is a little more complex than that. Indonesia also has a part in training and supporting the Muslim insurgents. Also a lot of the funding comes from the Gulf countries...Dubai, the UAE, and also Saudi sources. There is also a local "home-grown" contingent from southern Thailand. The foriegners tend to be the more radical, the "home-grown" faction usually is more moderate, but that's not always true.

Also, the Thai military itself, is doing itself no favors in the south with it's heavy-handed treatment of Thai Muslim civilans in that area. One example is searching female Thai Muslim schoolgirls using male security forces. In a Muslim area, that kind of thing only makes otherwise peaceful civilians more unhappy.

But it is a complex situation....and there is a lot of problems and distrust on both sides.

You will probably find Thaksin will sell it (the South) off to the highest bidder, leaving him with a trouble free mainly red Thailand at his disposal.

The mirror-under-the-car check didn't work so well then.

Sadly it won't if the bomb is in the boot or the passenger area.

[GentlemanJim]

It is interesting to see that the Governor of Songkhla (red obviously) has said that if a head of family were killed during these blatant terrorist attacks the family will receive 50 000 baht, if a non head of family is killed they will get 25 000 baht. Meanwhile the same red backed Government is about to dish out 7.5 million baht each, to those Thais injured during the terrorist attacks on Bangkok while they were participating in trying to burn Bangkok down.

I have never seen my wife so angry. There are a lot of really pi**ed off Thais in this country at the moment.

[Jaivin2011]

Wow this is good news for TAT;a Miracle of the Amazing Thailand Campaign or whatever rubbish slogan they came up with and are spending billions of dollars (all into pockets of individuals actually as usual!). So for Songkran this years expect Bangkok to be crowded....the Northern Plains are in Smoke and Haze, The Northeast is having drought and the south is having bombs......hurray TAT!

[biplanebluey]

Wow GentlemanJim---------------------------7.5 million bt EACH !!!!!!!!!!!! That will make a few people happy

[gudtymchuk]

Yep, sadly this kind of terrorism will linger all around the world and particularly in Southern Philippines and Southern Thailand because the powers that be do not have the political courage to eliminate those cowards who precipitate this kind of carnage.

[GentlemanJim]

Wow GentlemanJim---------------------------7.5 million bt EACH !!!!!!!!!!!! That will make a few people happy

It will make a few happy for sure, but there will be 1000 times more people very unhappy. Wait till you see the next protests in Bangkok, there will be reds pushing their Grandmothers under buses to collect their payouts.

It is very sad concerning Hat Yai, the area that has been hit is the hub of activity in the city and it has a large muslim contingent. Seems the bombers are truly indiscriminate in whom they harm and kill. I cannot believe they are doing it in the name of God.

[DP25]

It is interesting to see that the Governor of Songkhla (red obviously) has said that if a head of family were killed during these blatant terrorist attacks the family will receive 50 000 baht, if a non head of family is killed they will get 25 000 baht. Meanwhile the same red backed Government is about to dish out 7.5 million baht each, to those Thais injured during the terrorist attacks on Bangkok while they were participating in trying to burn Bangkok down.

I have never seen my wife so angry. There are a lot of really pi**ed off Thais in this country at the moment.

I really doubt the govenor of Songkhla is red. PT got less than 10% of the vote in that province and the Democrats close to 90%.

[anterian]

Much of this could have been avoided if tourists obeyed the first rule of traveling, in an area where terrorists operate, never congregate collectively in one place, it becomes an irresistible target. Hotels, restaurants, entertainment venues, simply avoid them.

We have seen attacks on such places in Bali, Jakarta, India and Thailand.

[MEL1]

Stayed at the Lee Gardens Hotel a few times and parked my car underneath. Makes you (me) think.

Is this inadmissible in court?

-mel.

[GentlemanJim]

It is interesting to see that the Governor of Songkhla (red obviously) has said that if a head of family were killed during these blatant terrorist attacks the family will receive 50 000 baht, if a non head of family is killed they will get 25 000 baht. Meanwhile the same red backed Government is about to dish out 7.5 million baht each, to those Thais injured during the terrorist attacks on Bangkok while they were participating in trying to burn Bangkok down.

I have never seen my wife so angry. There are a lot of really pi**ed off Thais in this country at the moment.

I really doubt the govenor of Songkhla is red. PT got less than 10% of the vote in that province and the Democrats close to 90%.

All the Governors are appointed by Government! Depending on the province on a 1 or 2 year rolling period. The Vice Governor in our area who would normally rotate through and be Governor has been 'stepped on' as the young compliant man from Bangkok was sent in his place. It happens in every province. Any province who does not have a compliant Vice Governor in place to take on the roll as Governor will have the Governor slot filled for them by Bangkok. The vice Governors here are all out of sync. The previous one was a red and Abhists Government sent a Dem as Governor, now this Vice Governor is a Dem, and Bangkok have sent a red.

[khunming]

This seems to me to be a marked change and escalation in tactics. I don't recall previous attacks being coordinated so well across provinces, or designed to bring about as much death and destruction as possible. The Yala tactic of double explosions in the busy downtown area was designed specifically to kill first responders and curious onlookers. The severity and strength of the car bomb in the busiest commercial area of Hat Yai, at a time when they knew it would be packed with people, maybe was even designed with hopes that it could compromise the structural integrity of the building. Maybe they were even hoping for a Twin Tower type disaster? This is a different character than the previous 8 years of small motorbike bombs in more remote locations, or just the drive-by shootings. I doubt that Malaysia is complicit at all, as previously discussed, but the perpetrators are getting radicalized and trained in a new way, it appears. I highly suspect some foreign connections here. The construction of these car/truck bombs seems a significant step up in technology for these guys--it's not easy to do what they did yesterday. It's worrisome. The next step could easily be terrorizing areas outside the southernmost provinces, perhaps creeping up the isthmus all the way to Bangkok. I'd step up security in Phuket!

[garrya]

And what is also worrying that these guys are not boastful. Unlike in other countries in which there is always a gang coming forward to announce they did it, in Thailand they work quietly in the background. Most of the time no one comes forward claiming their involvement. These terrorists seem to be determined and do not have inclination to make communication with the authorities at all.

[garrya]

Much of this could have been avoided if tourists obeyed the first rule of traveling, in an area where terrorists operate, never congregate collectively in one place, it becomes an irresistible target. Hotels, restaurants, entertainment venues, simply avoid them.

We have seen attacks on such places in Bali, Jakarta, India and Thailand.

Nice but a overly naive idea.

[AsianAdvisor]

The only solution will come when the politicians have the will to reach an achievable compromise and the most radiant solution for that is what happened in Northern Ireland which mirrors exactly the same situation in southern Thailand.

In NI, the two former tribal leaders now run their own affairs and have reached a level of coexistence that was thought impossible to achieve during the height of the Troubles. This came about through the reaching out by the UK Government to the less radical elements within the IRA, including the Irish Government in all dialogues and telling the Scots-Irish that they had to conform or be marginalised.

The Good Friday Agreement is a template for similar religious/cultural conflicts but I very much doubt that the Thai Government has either the desire or the vision to take a lesson from somewhere else in the world. There are many aspects of Thailand that I admire but the Thai view of the world stops at their own borders - the farang has nothing to teach them. I am constantly astonished at how little ordinary Thai's know how about modern world history.

The Malaysian Government is not to blame here as it is always desirous of maintaining community harmony despite the rise of Islamic awareness within the country. There is also the memory of the civil war of the 1940's and 1950's that I lived through when I was growing up as a child that maintains a constant reality check and the source of that conflict was essentially conducted on racial divides, a Chinese led insurgency.

Once again, having lived in the UK through the IRA insurgency and the constant threat of being involved in a bombing crisis, at least the IRA had the decency in forewarning people. It appears that we have a different level of threat in Hat Yai.

So let us hope that the Thai Government heeds the warning and looks at alternative political solutions .... but I am not holding my breath. Many more people are going to die because of limited thinking.

[animatic]

Sadly governments here fear losing face by making concessions than losing innocent citizens.

[AsianAdvisor]

The only solution will come when the politicians have the will to reach an achievable compromise and the most radiant solution for that is what happened in Northern Ireland which mirrors exactly the same situation in southern Thailand.

In NI, the two former tribal leaders now run their own affairs and have reached a level of coexistence that was thought impossible to achieve during the height of the Troubles. This came about through the reaching out by the UK Government to the less radical elements within the IRA, including the Irish Government in all dialogues and telling the Scots-Irish that they had to conform or be marginalised.

And I should have added - the offices of a well respected and efficient mediator in Senator George Mitchell.

I cannot see that happening in this conflict - too much loss of face involved.

The Good Friday Agreement is a template for similar religious/cultural conflicts but I very much doubt that the Thai Government has either the desire or the vision to take a lesson from somewhere else in the world. There are many aspects of Thailand that I admire but the Thai view of the world stops at their own borders - the farang has nothing to teach them. I am constantly astonished at how little ordinary Thai's know how about modern world history.

The Malaysian Government is not to blame here as it is always desirous of maintaining community harmony despite the rise of Islamic awareness within the country. There is also the memory of the civil war of the 1940's and 1950's that I lived through when I was growing up as a child that maintains a constant reality check and the source of that conflict was essentially conducted on racial divides, a Chinese led insurgency.

Once again, having lived in the UK through the IRA insurgency and the constant threat of being involved in a bombing crisis, at least the IRA had the decency in forewarning people. It appears that we have a different level of threat in Hat Yai.

So let us hope that the Thai Government heeds the warning and looks at alternative political solutions .... but I am not holding my breath. Many more people are going to die because of limited thinking.

And I should also have added, the offices of Senator George Mitchell a respected international mediator without whose help it would have been impossible to make the agreement.

I cannot see that happening in Thailand - too much loss of face is involved and an inbuilt distrust of all non Thais when involved in internal Thai politics.