Four killed and at least 20 people injured in Thailand

[abradley]

Live Four killed and at least 20 people injured in string of explosions in southern Thailand
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/201...ured-after-bombs-hit-thailand-resort-town-of/
{snip}
6:03am
Southern Thailand's blasts
Hua Hin (late on Thursday): Twin bombs kill one woman and wound at least 20 others, including nine tourists. The devices were hidden in potted plants and went off within 30 minutes of each other in the bar district of the city.
Phuket (Friday): Two blasts struck at Patong Beach, no casualties.
Trang: One blast kills one person.
Surat Thani: One blast kills one person.
Hua Hin (Friday morning): One more blast kills one person and wounds three.

(Continued)

Not sure who, the Islamic insurgents in the south or the anti Government leftists (Red Shirts)?

 

[Oerdin]

Not sure who, the Islamic insurgents in the south or the anti Government leftists (Red Shirts)?

The Thai police are saying this is not linked to Islamists but I would be surprised as Islamist insurgents live in southern Thailand and have been conducting terrorist attacks there for 20 years.

 

[Zkribbler]

Five provinces in Thailand have been hit by eleven bombings in less than a day, authorities say.

At least four people have been killed and about 34 injured.

No one has claimed responsibility for the blasts -- and it's not clear if the bombings are connected.

Thai police say there's no evidence the attacks are related to international terrorism.

"These incidents are different from the usual terrorism acts, they are more local sabotage on certain locations and provinces," Deputy Police Spokesman Maj. Gen. Piyapan Pingmuang said at a news conference Friday.

Coordinated multiple attacks used to be a sure sign of al Qaeda. I don't know if it's still capible of doing anything of this magnitude.

 

[warpus]

The Thai police are saying this is not linked to Islamists but I would be surprised as Islamist insurgents live in southern Thailand and have been conducting terrorist attacks there for 20 years.

When I was in southern Thailand 3 years ago I made sure to do a lot of research about this exact thing, before I decided to head there.

Southern Thailand is mostly fine. It's wise to stay away of the super southerly parts of the country, but must of the south has not seen many terrorist attacks in the recent past.

 

[plarq]

I don't think Bangkok is that anti-Islamic to be targeted like this. Is that related to the recent Constitutional amendment stuff?

 

[Zkribbler]

Is that related to the recent Constitutional amendment stuff?

No one knows, but that thought also passed through my mind.

BTW: 11 bombs kill only 4 people? Sounds like the work of amateurs. Still, the planting of 11 bombs is a scary thing.

 

[Oerdin]

The military regime has made defeating the muslim insurgents one of its top priorities and has repeatedly said it has effectively defeated them. If it turns out not to be true the the regime's main justification for its existence, security, is gone. To me, that explains why the military hasn't named who is behind it even though it claims to know who is behind it.

They just don't want to admit it is yet more muslim terrorism.

 

[Tee Kay]

Southern Muslim insurgents don't usually attack outside of Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat, and occasionally Songkhla.

Nothing points to this being the work of Muslim terrorists.

Also, the 12th was Queen's birthday in Thailand. And all the provinces hit, and Hua Hin in particular, are strongholds of the royalist Democratic Party. The date and locations are probably not coincidental.

 

[Zkribbler]

IIRC, only one bomb went off in Phuket, a western tourist destination. The rest were in areas favored by Thais. The bombs were timed to go off when no or few tourists would be up and around.

Tee Kay's observations are the only ones that hold any water at all.

 

[plarq]

False Flag, most likely.

 

[Oerdin]

I don't think Bangkok is that anti-Islamic to be targeted like this. Is that related to the recent Constitutional amendment stuff?

Possibly though the south has a Muslim majority and they want Sharia and restrictions on non-Muslims which is against the Thai constitution so for two decades the Muslims have been waging a violent terrorist campaign against Buddhists, Christians, and other non-Muslims. The Thai military has made defeating the insurgents the corner stone of their rule so they are not eager to admit the Muslim terrorists can still carry out major bombing campaigns.