Thai Authorities warn of more buried WWII bombs

[webfact]

EXPLOSIVE
Authorities warn of more buried WWII bombs
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- LIVE WORLD WAR II aerial bombs have been excavated now and then at various construction sites, prompting authorities to warn against any attempts to tinker with strange metal objects.

For example, one was found during construction of the subway's Red Line on March 27 and the Air Force was called in to handle it.

Yesterday, another one was spotted in Chachoengsao's Plaeng Yao district. Pol Colonel Kamthorn Uicharoen of Forensic Science Police said military experts were on hand to handle the explosive there.

On Wednesday, construction workers found an old bomb in Bang Khen district and sent what they thought was an iron object to a scrapyard to sell for some cash.

When workers tried to cut the object open, a big blast rocked the whole place, causing several deaths and damaging several properties.

"Aerial bombs are about 30 centimetres wide and one metre long. They have an oval shape," an expert said yesterday.

Anyone coming across a suspicious item matching that description should call 02-534-3535.

The death toll from the scrapyard explosion rose to eight yesterday, while the search for missing workers was continuing.

The eighth death was confirmed only after officials found the parts of a three-year-old girl who was on the list of people who could not be accounted for.

One of the wounded, Marisa Utsah, 42, feared the worst for her husband.

"He was working at the scrapyard when the explosion happened. Now, no one can find him," she said.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration is providing compensation and medical treatment for the victims.

Police estimate the number of wounded at 16-20 and smashed houses at more than 30.

Deputy national police chief General Aek Angsananont said this case would serve as a lesson.

"Some more aerial bombs may still be buried underground now. So, if anyone digs down and finds something suspicious, please alert officials immediately," he said.


-- The Nation 2014-04-04

[NongKhaiKid]

Cue TAT !

[coobah666]

so where have these bombs come from ???????

[chainarong]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

so where have these bombs come from ???????

Same place as the AK 47, M16 , Grenade launchers and grenades, Thailand has not changed or learnt from its past, possibly stolen from the Japs.

[MaxLee]

BANGKOK: -- LIVE WORLD WAR II aerial bombs have been excavated now and then at various construction sites, prompting authorities to warn against any attempts to tinker with strange metal objects.

You mean, excavated to show the world "UuuuOOOH, WOW, we found WW2 bombs, and we know how to handle them.... KABOOOOOMMMM!!!!!!!!

Run for your lives, people in Chonburi, if it's worth your lives...

[AhFarangJa]

so where have these bombs come from ???????

The sky dear boy....

[ratcatcher]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

so where have these bombs come from ???????

Same place as the AK 47, M16 , Grenade launchers and grenades, Thailand has not changed or learnt from its past, possibly stolen from the Japs.

Do you really think it is possible that AK47 and M16 rifles as well as M79 grenade launchers were "stolen from the Japs' during the 2nd world war?

Think about that for a moment.

Perhaps the bombs were indeed dropped by allied aircraft on Bangkok's railyards at bang Sue.

[noitom]

These bombs must have been stolen by the Japanese when Thailand was allied with Japan and in a state of declared war with the US and UK from January 25,1962 on. The press should get at the facts and reveal the ID of these bombs. Probably Thai stole the ordnance from the Japanese and hid them away to sell them later.

[Somtamnication]

Typical. Warning of danger 70 years after the fact!!!

[mrtoad]

Why do people assume these are Japanese bombs, the Allies bombed Bangkok on a number of occasions during WW2. It would be funny if the Thai news sources gave the reasons as to why that might have been the case though.

Edited April 4, 2014 by mrtoad

[Songhua]

What a coincidence. One goes off and within days others are found in Chonburi and Chachoengsao.

[keestha]

Typical. Warning of danger 70 years after the fact!!!

?? You don't want to know how many unexploded WWII ordnance is still hidden beneath the soil in like Holland or Germany. Quite a normal event building activities have to be interrupted because they discovered something. At the North Sea, WWI sea mines are still a problem, almost 100 years after being planted there.

[Hornell]

Get your facts right Noitum, Thailand never officially declared war on the US as the Thai Ambassador at the time failed to deliver the declaration.

[Microwave]

A live unexploded Japanese WW2 bomb was found at a construction site in Hong Kong's Happy Valley area a month or so ago and as the previous poster mentioned, live ordinance dating back to both WW's is still found throughout Europe. I recall a Japanese bomb being found @ Hawaii's Pearl Harbour around 1992.

All are sad reminders of the violence endured during the 20th century.

[Kerryd]

so where have these bombs come from ???????

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombing_of_Bangkok_in_World_War_II

Although the bombing campaign against Thailand had started before Thailand officially declared war against the UK and USA (Yes - Thailand was NOT neutral during the war.) The first bombing raid took place on 7 Jan 1942, while Thailand didn't deliver it's Declaration or War to the UK and USA until 25 Jan 1942.

The UK accepted the declaration of war and responded in kind. However the USA decided the declaration had been made "under duress" and was therefore not valid. It was because of that decision by the US that Thailand was not treated as an "enemy country" after the war.)

"the Thai government declared war on Britain and the United States on January 25, 1942."

The bombing campaign against Thailand apparently was still ongoing as late as 29 July 1945, 2 weeks before "V-J Day" (Victory - Japan). " According to a report of December 1945, the Allies dropped 18,583 bombs on Thailand, resulting in the death of 8,711 people and the destruction of 9,616 buildings, 617 trucks, 73 locomotives and 173 other vehicles. A further 1,194 buildings were damaged. The prime target of the campaign was Bangkok, the Thai capital. Rural areas were almost entirely unaffected.^"

Despite not being treated as an "enemy country" Thailand still had to make concessions, mainly as a result of the UK's acceptance of Thailand's Declaration of War. Reparations included returning 4 Malay and some northern Shan provinces, shipping 1.5 million tons of free rice to (British controlled) Malaysia and (oddly) agreeing to not build a canal across the Kra peninsula.

Thailand's entry into the UN was also delayed by France's insistence on the return of "it's" Indochina territories that Thailand had conquered early in 1941.

[Luk Mhee]

Are they British, American, or Japanese bombs? Call in the country responsible and ask them to clean up the mess they made.

[tomyummer]

so where have these bombs come from ???????

Same place as the AK 47, M16 , Grenade launchers and grenades, Thailand has not changed or learnt from its past, possibly stolen from the Japs.

Interesting how we're still using the term 'Japs' around this neck of the woods. Next thing you know they'll be worshipping the swastika at sporting events, on trendy clothing and fried chicken outlets.

[socksy01]

Are they British, American, or Japanese bombs? Call in the country responsible and ask them to clean up the mess they made.

So who are helping remove land mines in Vietnam, Cambodia etc and who planted them there? Do you think bombs discovered in London from the Blitz would be cleared up by Germany and Bombs dropped in Germany by Britain and USA should be cleaned up by them. Maybe you should jump from a plane and get back down to earth and reality.

[Northwindhermit]

In WW2 the Allied bombers destroyed the original Rama 6 bridge.

[Now or Never]

More scrap metal .... yeehaa .....Get out the blow torches

[transam]

He forgot to mention...............AK47', M16's, hand grenades and other stuff they don't know about....................

[balford]

So much misinformation here, but for Kerryd in Post #15 and a couple of others.

Both the USAAF and RAF bombed Bangkok, Chiangmai, Lampang and other targets in which the Japanese were active including industrial areas, railway yards, bridges, etc., during the period 1944-45 using mainly B-24 Liberators.

The way to identify an American aerial bomb is by the suspension lugs on the top of the bomb - if they are 14" apart then it is American and could have been released by either USAAF or American Liberators. These horseshoe shaped lugs are welded to the bomb casing (obviously before the explosive filling) and were attached to the bomb-release unit in the aircraft.

The Japanese and British used single suspension lugs howver the use of American aircraft by the British meant they used American bombs.

There will no doubt be other finds of wartime ordnance and forewarned is forearmed (no pun intended) so if it's suspicious report it immediately.

Bob A - former EOD/IED Operator and relaxed in Lampang

[bangon04]

Here's a thought - if the government offers a reward for any possible bomb, they locals may not be tempted to sell them for scrap or cut them up with torches....

I am not convinced that appealing to their sense of civic duty will be as effective in Thailand...especially against the scrap value of 500lb of "iron"

[MMarlow]

These bombs must have been stolen by the Japanese when Thailand was allied with Japan and in a state of declared war with the US and UK from January 25,1962 on. The press should get at the facts and reveal the ID of these bombs. Probably Thai stole the ordnance from the Japanese and hid them away to sell them later.

And probably you have no idea what you're talking about, you just want to have another Thai bashing session.

[MMarlow]

Get your facts right Noitum, Thailand never officially declared war on the US as the Thai Ambassador at the time failed to deliver the declaration.

"Get your facts right..."

He won't do that, that would destroy his reason for being.

[ikke]

so where have these bombs come from ???????

From RAF and US bombers in WW2

[MMarlow]

Are they British, American, or Japanese bombs? Call in the country responsible and ask them to clean up the mess they made.

Good idea, get Austria involved, Hitler's birthplace. Got any more ideas?

[ikke]

Get your facts right Noitum, Thailand never officially declared war on the US as the Thai Ambassador at the time failed to deliver the declaration.

He didn't fail, he kept it safe.

In fact the first bombings by Raf and US was only to show Thailand how serious they where about Thailand capitulating with Japan.

After more bombing followed on the railroads and Japanese control centers in Bkk.

[bra]

As far as I know Japanese forces did not bomb Thailand in WWII. They had no need to as Thailand was pressured to allow Japan to enter Thailand, and in particular to move Japanese troops through Pattani to invade then British Malaya along its west coast, whilst another force landed at Kota Bharu and went down the east coast - to meet and eventually take Singapore.

So the bombs would have been dropped US or UK forces. Another poster has provided details of the allied air raids, mainly in Bangkok. The US used b-24s, but also used B-29s for the first time in combat, before these were transferred to the Marianas to attack the Japanese home islands. P-51 Mustangs were used on a long range mission from bases in India to strafe Don Mueang, which was a Japanese fighter base near the end of the war. After the surrender the RAF took over this airfield for a fighter base until mid 1946.

[JusMe]

Get your facts right Noitum, Thailand never officially declared war on the US as the Thai Ambassador at the time failed to deliver the declaration.

Totally and absolutely irrelevant. The delivery of the declaration is a nice friendly act (?) but completely unnecessary diplomatically.

Thailand declared war on the US and western allies. There is a nice story about the Thai ambassador speaking to the US Secretary of State saying that they both knew what he had in his pocket, but he didn't want to present it. Lovely story, but that's all it is. Both men have denied it happened.

Thailand officially declared war. I have a copy of that declaration, and its delivery is irrelevant.