Seven Bombs Go Off In Bangkok - New Year Countdown Cancelled

[onethailand]

I believe all those affected were Thais.

Here is a link to the Nation's list - but it is missing some information that has already been reported on TV some time ago.

http://nationmultimedia.com/2006/12/31/hea...es_30023004.php

The BTS and MRT are still operating; however, they have reverted to normal schedules and will close around midnight.

Also - all medical bills are being covered by the government.

Edited December 31, 2006 by onethailand

[Krungthepian]

Thaksin behind the bombings...? That doesn't make sense since he would have cut-off a possible return to Thailand forever.

It's beginning to look like a '24'-scenario with Jack Bauer....

LaoPo

=========

I think you need to try to imagine the sort of legal battles that the former PM is facing and how serious they are to get an idea how much motivation they might be on his side - not necessarily him, but his supporters - to be involved in such incidents as we've seen tonight.

Just from what we've seen in the press in recent weeks, he would probably face many years of tortuous litigation. And when you look at the way things are going - eg military people taking over management of the new airport and ferreting through the contracts there (which are allegedly a can of worms for him and many others), plus possible cases linked to the Drug War killings - he must be very very worried re the future, I would think.

Some people looking into the killings during the war on drugs say it's likely many thousands of people were killed; that investigators of the National Human Rights Commission say people disappeared and are believed to have been killed in hundreds if not thousands of villages right across the North - it should be the subject of a documentary to really bring home what went on, because it was effectively the work of Thai death squads. Many hilltribe people who were not registered as Thai citizens were reportedly just wacked; the toll could easily be 6000 - not the silly 2500 figure we see constantly repeated in the press. All of that extraordinary wave of killing can, media people here say, be drawn right back to the PM and some of the highly emotive speeches he gave to police and local officials; speeches that urged extrajudicial treatment.

But even if nothing happens on the above that might directly implicate the former PM, his massive Shin deal is in tatters. iTV can be taken at a moment and I would have thought ownership of the satellite licence (ShinSat) simply won't be allowed to leave the country. That pretty well just leaves the mobile phone firm AIS, and even that would be blocked under the latest Foreign Biz Law moves.

The coup will cost the former PM $1 billion+ on the Shin deal alone. If the Monson case gets the go ahead it could strip him of another huge sum. And put him behind bars for years. Probably, there are a lot of cases that could see him jailed for many years.

If the Surayud government were to pass a proper witness protection law things could open up dramatically. The current government has only just offered incentives - in the form of 25% of assets for people linked to offences to roll over and say what they know.

Having watched things closely for the last few years I think there is actually a staggering list of misdeeds and corruption. This AEC panel set up to probe such things would need several years to sort through it all. I truly believe the previous government was like an organised crime gang and that the cupboard is full of a lot more than just skeletons.

One or two people have already started to "sing" to AEC panels, as can be evidenced by the death threats they received a couple of weeks back. There's a fair chance that a whole range of former ministers face very serious repercussions.

But if you look at the potential threat that a man of such wealth could pose - particularly when he had/has some cohorts with very bad reputations (ie people from Buri Ram and former ministers prepared to round up forestry officials to physicall attack opponents) - it's no wonder that some experienced Thai journos have been predicting for some time that Thaksin was NEVER going to be able to return.

In terms of who benefits from a wave of bombings in the capital, you can probably suggest 1/ militants from the South, 2/ former govt heavyweights 3/ coup leaders.

However, the intelligence to date heavily suggests no 2 -

What would be the purpose of such bombings?

Probably to destabilise the current government to a major extent; to literally "knock a wheel off the car"; sink the economy and put them into a crisis that might derail or seriously impair some of the legal moves that are hugely threatening to much of the previous Cabinet. Make no mistake, some heavies are going down and they hate it - they have a lot of wealth to fight what's going on, and tonight, the gloves have probably come off.

[Jai Dee]

Bombs in Bangkok kill two and wound 20

BANGKOK (Reuters) - At least six small bombs exploded in Bangkok on Sunday, killing two people and wounding more than 20, shocking the Thai capital into cancelling some New Year countdown celebrations.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the bombs, which went off within about an hour and included one planted under a seat at a bus stop outside a shopping mall which wounded 17 people, two seriously, they said.

Police said they did not believe the bombs were the work of militants in the Muslim-majority far south who have set off a series of bombs in towns there during three years of separatist insurgency and who do not issue claims of responsibility.

"I don't believe it has anything to do with the militants in the south," deputy national police chief General Achiravit Supanpasat told a news conference, referring to an insurgency which has cost more than 1,800 lives.

The militants in a region annexed by overwhelmingly Buddhist Thailand a century ago are not known to have launched attacks outside the region so far despite constant fears they would.

But Achiravit did not say who police did think was responsible for the first such violence in Bangkok since a September 19 coup ousted elected Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Some schools have been burned down outside Bangkok and the army has maintained martial law in several areas, citing "undercurrents", but Thaksin supporters have denied any recourse to violence.

Soldiers armed with M-16 assault rifles took over areas around the places where the bombs went off but Achiravit said no curfew was necessary, despite rumors sweeping the city that one would be imposed.

"The countdown parties will continue, but we ask the public to be vigilant," he said.

Nevertheless, Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin went on stage at the main party in the city's main shopping district and led the countdown more than three hours early.

Police then moved in to usher people home. They also pulled the plug on the New Year party on Khao San Road, where many foreign backpackers stay, halting the band in mid-song.

The bomb outside the shopping mall near the Victory Monument in the center of the Thai capital appeared to have caused the largest number of injuries.

"There was a big bang and people started screaming and running. I saw people with blood all over their legs and faces," said Chalermsak Sanbee, 17, who was standing near the bus stop.

Another went off near a police booth, wounding two people, and a third was placed in a trash can at a market in the port district and wounded five, including a 10-year-old, police said.

A fourth went off in the parking lot of a shopping mall on the road to Bangkok's new airport.

Source: Reuters - 31 December 2006

[jii]

Wow, the farang circus is a real three-ring affair and all the gossipy old ladies are turbo-charged tonight.

No matter what happens, from earthquakes in Taiwan to early closure of bars to airport openings to Internet slow-downs to global warming, the grannies on steroids have all the answers... and the answers are inevitably the same:

• T.I.T
  
• Tourists and foreign investors will stop coming
  
• Thaksin is to blame
  
• The police are to blame
  
• The Muslims are to blame
  
• TRT is to blame
  
• The junta is to blame
  
• This would never happen in Europe
  
• This would never happen in UK
  
• It's a feudal system
  

Some of you need to make a few New Year's resolutions to get a life, to stop assuming if you ruled the world it would be a better place, and to stop clenching your butt cheeks 24 hours a day.

Sawatdee pii mai

Heheheheeee,, How very, very true!

,

the pair of you are not being resonable on the posters. while some of the posts are pure specualation. quite a few are resonable. all you do is just attack everyone.

[JacknDanny]

Thaksin behind the bombings...? That doesn't make sense since he would have cut-off a possible return to Thailand forever.

It's beginning to look like a '24'-scenario with Jack Bauer....

LaoPo

=========

I think you need to try to imagine the sort of legal battles that the former PM is facing and how serious they are to get an idea how much motivation they might be on his side - not necessarily him, but his supporters - to be involved in such incidents as we've seen tonight.

Just from what we've seen in the press in recent weeks, he would probably face many years of tortuous litigation. And when you look at the way things are going - eg military people taking over management of the new airport and ferreting through the contracts there (which are allegedly a can of worms for him and many others), plus possible cases linked to the Drug War killings - he must be very very worried re the future, I would think.

Some people looking into the killings during the war on drugs say it's likely many thousands of people were killed; that investigators of the National Human Rights Commission say people disappeared and are believed to have been killed in hundreds if not thousands of villages right across the North - it should be the subject of a documentary to really bring home what went on, because it was effectively the work of Thai death squads. Many hilltribe people who were not registered as Thai citizens were reportedly just wacked; the toll could easily be 6000 - not the silly 2500 figure we see constantly repeated in the press. All of that extraordinary wave of killing can, media people here say, be drawn right back to the PM and some of the highly emotive speeches he gave to police and local officials; speeches that urged extrajudicial treatment.

But even if nothing happens on the above that might directly implicate the former PM, his massive Shin deal is in tatters. iTV can be taken at a moment and I would have thought ownership of the satellite licence (ShinSat) simply won't be allowed to leave the country. That pretty well just leaves the mobile phone firm AIS, and even that would be blocked under the latest Foreign Biz Law moves.

The coup will cost the former PM $1 billion+ on the Shin deal alone. If the Monson case gets the go ahead it could strip him of another huge sum. And put him behind bars for years. Probably, there are a lot of cases that could see him jailed for many years.

If the Surayud government were to pass a proper witness protection law things could open up dramatically. The current government has only just offered incentives - in the form of 25% of assets for people linked to offences to roll over and say what they know.

Having watched things closely for the last few years I think there is actually a staggering list of misdeeds and corruption. This AEC panel set up to probe such things would need several years to sort through it all. I truly believe the previous government was like an organised crime gang and that the cupboard is full of a lot more than just skeletons.

One or two people have already started to "sing" to AEC panels, as can be evidenced by the death threats they received a couple of weeks back. There's a fair chance that a whole range of former ministers face very serious repercussions.

But if you look at the potential threat that a man of such wealth could pose - particularly when he had/has some cohorts with very bad reputations (ie people from Buri Ram and former ministers prepared to round up forestry officials to physicall attack opponents) - it's no wonder that some experienced Thai journos have been predicting for some time that Thaksin was NEVER going to be able to return.

In terms of who benefits from a wave of bombings in the capital, you can probably suggest 1/ militants from the South, 2/ former govt heavyweights 3/ coup leaders.

However, the intelligence to date heavily suggests no 2 -

What would be the purpose of such bombings?

Probably to destabilise the current government to a major extent; to literally "knock a wheel off the car"; sink the economy and put them into a crisis that might derail or seriously impair some of the legal moves that are hugely threatening to much of the previous Cabinet. Make no mistake, some heavies are going down and they hate it - they have a lot of wealth to fight what's going on, and tonight, the gloves have probably come off.

Thats exactly what I meant and sort of said. You put it in a more eloquent fashion. Having said that I'm giving my whisky bottle a bit of GBH right now.!!

You are right on the mark buddy

[londonthai]

the military is in charge of the government, they would have a contingency plan to halt all overhead and underground train services… Unless they know something we don’t…

looks like they do know

Edited December 31, 2006 by londonthai

[beammeup]

Regardless of who is responsible for these bombings, the problems that caused them are not going away anytime soon.

I always told myself I'm leaving Thailand when the bombings come to Bangkok. This place is never going to be the same. For years in the future everyone will be thinking everyday when the next one is coming. Having 2 bombs go off at the same time within at 10 min walking radius of my apartment has really made me think...

Combine this with all the other turmoil the past 2 years regarding property ownership (through foreign created companies), alcohol and gas purchase time restrictions, closing time restrictions, internet censorship and fighting among ex-pats (stickman), the military coup, the visa chaos, the new teacher requirements, stock market crashes, currency controls, and now bombs next door....how much can an ex-pat take....

My condolences to the victims.

Get a grip on yourself man. They figure 1000 or so people will die in traffic acidents over the new years holiday. I live in the south in a town were there have been several bombs. People adjust to it. You will probably die of a heart attach (the way your carrying on) long before a bomb gets you. On a side note if this doesnt lower the Baht I dont know what will!

[Jai Dee]

Interior Ministry to hold urgent meeting of provincial governors

The Interior Ministry will hold an urgent meeting with provincial governors nationwide through a video conference at 11 pm.

Source: The Nation - 31 December 2006

[astral]

Sad news indeed.

[farangene]

I think someone asked for names of victims.

From the Nation Website:

Bomb victims identified so far

Officials have identified some of those injured and killed in the Bangkok bomb attacks as following:

16 victims at Rajvithi Hospital

Songkran Kanchana, killed

Samruay Srida, seriously injured

Pattama Ratakaja, seriously injured

Ratchaneewan Klaylim, seriously injured

Oyjai Pongpornchettha, seriously injured

Pornrat Puntaeng, treated and discharged

Pornsiri Karaket, treated and discharged

Saharat Chuaduangphui, treated and discharged

Niporn Thongsri, treated and discharged

Somwang Witthayacharoen, treated and discharged

Yosphat Muangpao, treated and discharged

Natthicha Yamkrathok, treated and discharged

Suparp Piriom, treated and discharged

Oranuj Neraphu, treated and discharged

Wilasinee Thian-on, treated and discharged

Another victim is still unidentified.

Seven victims at Chulalongkorn Hospital

Suwitchai Nakiam, killed

Khamphan Arjyotha, 34, seriously injured

Bai Wongsa, 21

Thasinee Mungkornphan, 12

Kamchad Dessaeng, 31

Arissara Tordok, 27

Khamdee Maneesaeng, 40

The rest of victims have yet to be identified.

The Nation

[gbt71fa]

Any idea who is responsible or is it to early to say

I hope your question is supposed to be sarcastic...if not, good god man what do you think?

[Jai Dee]

Surayud hold meeting at ISOC

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont went to the Internal Security Operations Command at 10:43 pm to meet military officers.

Source: The Nation - 31 December 2006

[rafval]

Thaksin behind the bombings...? That doesn't make sense since he would have cut-off a possible return to Thailand forever.

It's beginning to look like a '24'-scenario with Jack Bauer....

LaoPo

=========

I think you need to try to imagine the sort of legal battles that the former PM is facing and how serious they are to get an idea how much motivation they might be on his side - not necessarily him, but his supporters - to be involved in such incidents as we've seen tonight.

Just from what we've seen in the press in recent weeks, he would probably face many years of tortuous litigation. And when you look at the way things are going - eg military people taking over management of the new airport and ferreting through the contracts there (which are allegedly a can of worms for him and many others), plus possible cases linked to the Drug War killings - he must be very very worried re the future, I would think.

Some people looking into the killings during the war on drugs say it's likely many thousands of people were killed; that investigators of the National Human Rights Commission say people disappeared and are believed to have been killed in hundreds if not thousands of villages right across the North - it should be the subject of a documentary to really bring home what went on, because it was effectively the work of Thai death squads. Many hilltribe people who were not registered as Thai citizens were reportedly just wacked; the toll could easily be 6000 - not the silly 2500 figure we see constantly repeated in the press. All of that extraordinary wave of killing can, media people here say, be drawn right back to the PM and some of the highly emotive speeches he gave to police and local officials; speeches that urged extrajudicial treatment.

But even if nothing happens on the above that might directly implicate the former PM, his massive Shin deal is in tatters. iTV can be taken at a moment and I would have thought ownership of the satellite licence (ShinSat) simply won't be allowed to leave the country. That pretty well just leaves the mobile phone firm AIS, and even that would be blocked under the latest Foreign Biz Law moves.

The coup will cost the former PM $1 billion+ on the Shin deal alone. If the Monson case gets the go ahead it could strip him of another huge sum. And put him behind bars for years. Probably, there are a lot of cases that could see him jailed for many years.

If the Surayud government were to pass a proper witness protection law things could open up dramatically. The current government has only just offered incentives - in the form of 25% of assets for people linked to offences to roll over and say what they know.

Having watched things closely for the last few years I think there is actually a staggering list of misdeeds and corruption. This AEC panel set up to probe such things would need several years to sort through it all. I truly believe the previous government was like an organised crime gang and that the cupboard is full of a lot more than just skeletons.

One or two people have already started to "sing" to AEC panels, as can be evidenced by the death threats they received a couple of weeks back. There's a fair chance that a whole range of former ministers face very serious repercussions.

But if you look at the potential threat that a man of such wealth could pose - particularly when he had/has some cohorts with very bad reputations (ie people from Buri Ram and former ministers prepared to round up forestry officials to physicall attack opponents) - it's no wonder that some experienced Thai journos have been predicting for some time that Thaksin was NEVER going to be able to return.

In terms of who benefits from a wave of bombings in the capital, you can probably suggest 1/ militants from the South, 2/ former govt heavyweights 3/ coup leaders.

However, the intelligence to date heavily suggests no 2 -

What would be the purpose of such bombings?

Probably to destabilise the current government to a major extent; to literally "knock a wheel off the car"; sink the economy and put them into a crisis that might derail or seriously impair some of the legal moves that are hugely threatening to much of the previous Cabinet. Make no mistake, some heavies are going down and they hate it - they have a lot of wealth to fight what's going on, and tonight, the gloves have probably come off.

seems to me that this isn't going to help anyones cause, rather it's someones attempt at revenge, but I'm no expert

[Dragonmode]

the tourist industry is not the whole countries economy - and the blasts might save the weakening economy (as 7/11 saved for sometimes the american economy)

7/11? you mean the convenience stores throughout Thailand or do you mean 9/11?

[mitrapaap]

CNN is hyping this out worldwide right now. So much for tourism this year. A ton of crazy things going on now: stock mkt crashes, currency controls, bombs, what next? Why would anyone choose this as a vacation spot?

Agreed - 'bombs rip through Bangkok' was their initial headline unless I am mistaken. It's still too early to assess what has actually happened - but I think that headline is totally over the top from what appears to have happened so far.

That's why I do not really like CNN. Their hedlines are always making things worse than they really are. On 9/11 the headline was "America under attack", actually it was only the USA. But who would pay attention to "7 small bombs exploded in Bangkok" ? A considerable part of U.S. citizen probably do not even know where Bangkok is.

[Tornado]

another heading to add to the tshirt...

sars

bird flu

tsunami

coup

bombs

Happy New Year!

[winner]

How bombing will help the TRT is beyond me? Logics says it won't and hurts it.

Anything that happens that would discredit the current government and its ability to handle internal problems would help TRT.

[c_bangkok]

Thanks, 'farangene,' for the names.

[Jai Dee]

BTS cancels plan to operate throughout night

The Bangkok Transit System announced that it would run its skytrain services until midnight, instead of till dawn as earlier planned.

Source: The Nation - 31 December 2006

[bobrcb]

Bangkok is a multi-cultural city, so I am surprised, given the number of tragic terrorist attacks around the world in recent years, that the city has not been targeted before. Thankfully, the incidents today have been comparatively minor, but still they create victims, not only the physically injured, but the many thousands of others that for the next few days will have to decide whether to stick to their planned routines, or stay at home through fear. I live on the outskirts of London, and know that after the bombings on public transport, thousands of people stopped using the services, but after a while, when things quietened down, most people went back to their normal routines, and so it will be in Thailand.

I shall be in Bangkok in 10 days, by which time, hopefully things will have calmed down. In the meantime, my condolences to the victims, their families and friends. To everyone else, don't let the b......s get you down. Enjoy what is left of 2006, and let's hope that 2007 will be a much better year for everybody,wherever you are. Sawati bee mai.

[winner]

I hate to see this. Apart from the human suffering it causes it will also destroy the Tourist Industry for another year at least unless the perpetrators are caught within the next 24 hours. Face it, despite some people acting macho, only a fool would take a holiday in a place where bombs are going off! There are plenty of alternative places to go to.

[johnnynmonic]

The reflexive Muslim-bashing in this thread is truly distasteful.

The identities of the perpetrators of these acts and their motives have not yet been established.

Muslims have been mentioned only once and only specualtive. Not sure what you try to say!

Sounds like a typical case of the overly sensitive Muslim.

[murrayhunterr58]

South-East Asia isnt really like it used to be. Thailand is tamed, nothing happens in Malaysia anymore, Singapore has been sterilised and Lao is actually a nice place to visit, Cambodia is a swinging place now.

Jakarta in '65 that was scary

KL in May '69 that would have had you worried

Mindinao and Northern Burma in the '70s was a challenge

Saigon in '75 was a real worry

You dont get thrown in jail or have M16s pointed at you much these days in this region.

Let the Boz make the play and express themselves. With respect to the causualties (feeling of sorrow for them), the bombs here arent the same as the ones used in Indonesia, indicating that this is still a local affair and statements have to be made by certain people.

Have a good new year all of you

[Krungthepian]

Seems to me that this isn't going to help anyones cause, rather it's someones attempt at revenge, but I'm no expert.

- Rafval

You could be right re the revenge element also. And there is curious symmetry to it also - with Sondhi in Saudi for the Hajj (Thaksin was in NY when the coup occurred).

[BlackArtemis]

another heading to add to the tshirt...

sars

bird flu

tsunami

coup

bombs

Happy New Year!

I think bombs are already on the list, or maybe it was just "bomb scare"

[mitrapaap]

How bombing will help the TRT is beyond me? Logics says it won't and hurts it.

Anything that happens that would discredit the current government and its ability to handle internal problems would help TRT.

Would help TRT? I thought TRT had been disolved. Am I wrong?

[qualtrough]

The reflexive Muslim-bashing in this thread is truly distasteful.

The identities of the perpetrators of these acts and their motives have not yet been established.

Muslims have been mentioned only once and only specualtive. Not sure what you try to say!

Sounds like a typical case of the overly sensitive Muslim.

Look--At this point in time nobody knows who was responsible for these attacks, and it serves no purpose to accuse any group no matter how 'obvious' you think it is that they are behind it. Reminds me of how many in the US were quick to blame Muslims after the bombing in Oklahoma City bombing.

[Toeknee]

The reflexive Muslim-bashing in this thread is truly distasteful.

The identities of the perpetrators of these acts and their motives have not yet been established.

You sound like one of those people after 9/11 who would not admit they thought it was a bunch of Arabs in the mountains with AK-47s and a copy of the Koran even though everyone around them knew it and so did you...

Happy new year.

The Grace Hotel might be a safe place to go tonight. Nobody knows yet who is responsible, but the trouble in the South may have a bearing.

Hope everyone stays safe tonight.

[mitrapaap]

Thaksin behind the bombings...? That doesn't make sense since he would have cut-off a possible return to Thailand forever.

It's beginning to look like a '24'-scenario with Jack Bauer....

LaoPo

=========

I think you need to try to imagine the sort of legal battles that the former PM is facing and how serious they are to get an idea how much motivation they might be on his side - not necessarily him, but his supporters - to be involved in such incidents as we've seen tonight.

Just from what we've seen in the press in recent weeks, he would probably face many years of tortuous litigation. And when you look at the way things are going - eg military people taking over management of the new airport and ferreting through the contracts there (which are allegedly a can of worms for him and many others), plus possible cases linked to the Drug War killings - he must be very very worried re the future, I would think.

Some people looking into the killings during the war on drugs say it's likely many thousands of people were killed; that investigators of the National Human Rights Commission say people disappeared and are believed to have been killed in hundreds if not thousands of villages right across the North - it should be the subject of a documentary to really bring home what went on, because it was effectively the work of Thai death squads. Many hilltribe people who were not registered as Thai citizens were reportedly just wacked; the toll could easily be 6000 - not the silly 2500 figure we see constantly repeated in the press. All of that extraordinary wave of killing can, media people here say, be drawn right back to the PM and some of the highly emotive speeches he gave to police and local officials; speeches that urged extrajudicial treatment.

But even if nothing happens on the above that might directly implicate the former PM, his massive Shin deal is in tatters. iTV can be taken at a moment and I would have thought ownership of the satellite licence (ShinSat) simply won't be allowed to leave the country. That pretty well just leaves the mobile phone firm AIS, and even that would be blocked under the latest Foreign Biz Law moves.

The coup will cost the former PM $1 billion+ on the Shin deal alone. If the Monson case gets the go ahead it could strip him of another huge sum. And put him behind bars for years. Probably, there are a lot of cases that could see him jailed for many years.

If the Surayud government were to pass a proper witness protection law things could open up dramatically. The current government has only just offered incentives - in the form of 25% of assets for people linked to offences to roll over and say what they know.

Having watched things closely for the last few years I think there is actually a staggering list of misdeeds and corruption. This AEC panel set up to probe such things would need several years to sort through it all. I truly believe the previous government was like an organised crime gang and that the cupboard is full of a lot more than just skeletons.

One or two people have already started to "sing" to AEC panels, as can be evidenced by the death threats they received a couple of weeks back. There's a fair chance that a whole range of former ministers face very serious repercussions.

But if you look at the potential threat that a man of such wealth could pose - particularly when he had/has some cohorts with very bad reputations (ie people from Buri Ram and former ministers prepared to round up forestry officials to physicall attack opponents) - it's no wonder that some experienced Thai journos have been predicting for some time that Thaksin was NEVER going to be able to return.

In terms of who benefits from a wave of bombings in the capital, you can probably suggest 1/ militants from the South, 2/ former govt heavyweights 3/ coup leaders.

However, the intelligence to date heavily suggests no 2 -

What would be the purpose of such bombings?

Probably to destabilise the current government to a major extent; to literally "knock a wheel off the car"; sink the economy and put them into a crisis that might derail or seriously impair some of the legal moves that are hugely threatening to much of the previous Cabinet. Make no mistake, some heavies are going down and they hate it - they have a lot of wealth to fight what's going on, and tonight, the gloves have probably come off.

From all the posts this is certainly the most informative and realistic one. Thank you!

[Jai Dee]

PM has called urgent meeting at Internal Security Operations Command to address multiple BKK blasts

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont has called an urgent meeting at the Internal Security Operations Command, to address the multiple blasts that occured in the capital city in the evening.

Gen. Surayud, the commanding general of Army Area 1, the Bangkok governor and the interior minister are currently meeting at the Internal Security Operations Command. Members of the press are not being allowed inside at the moment.

The prime minister said earlier that he has yet to consider declaring an emergency and that the cause of the explosions have yet to be clearly concluded.

In the meantime, the Interior Ministry earlier requested that the governors of every province engage in a teleconference with the permanent secretary of Interior at 11 pm Sunday night.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 31 December 2006