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| Bangkok bomb blast: 16 killed in explosion "inside Erawan shrine" – live | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 5.49pm BST17:49 | |
| Thai government statement urges people to remain calm | |
| The Thai government has posted this statement, attributed to Maj Gen. Werachon Sukhondhapatak, on its website. The bullet points are their own: | |
| 5.38pm BST17:38 | |
| The Foreign Office has distributed this terse statement regarding the attacks in Thailand earlier today. A spokesperson said: | |
| We are in contact with local authorities and urgently seeking further information following reports of an explosion in Bangkok. | |
| 5.22pm BST17:22 | |
| Hospitals close to the scene of the bomb attack are calling for Chinese translators to help interpret for those injured, the Bangkok Post reports. According to the paper’s story: | |
| Most of those injured in the explosion were said to be predominantly Asian tourists, with the majority taken to Police General Hospital and Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, both of which were appealing for blood by 8.45pm | |
| Both hospitals also were calling for Chinese translators, as many mainland visitors were among the injured. The Japanese embassy said it is rushing to confirm whether any Japanese were caught in the blast. | |
| Updated at 5.22pm BST | |
| 5.10pm BST17:10 | 5.10pm BST17:10 |
| Bomb "exploded INSIDE the Erawan shrine" | |
| The blast in central Bangkok this evening occurred inside the Erawan shrine, national police chief Somyot Poompummuang said, correcting earlier reports that it was on a motorcycle parked outside the landmark. | The blast in central Bangkok this evening occurred inside the Erawan shrine, national police chief Somyot Poompummuang said, correcting earlier reports that it was on a motorcycle parked outside the landmark. |
| Police are now saying the device was made from a pipe wrapped in cloth, the Associated Press reports. The agency quoted Somyot as saying that officials initially believed that a second bomb had been found in a bag nearby, but that it had been determined to be harmless. The police chief added: | Police are now saying the device was made from a pipe wrapped in cloth, the Associated Press reports. The agency quoted Somyot as saying that officials initially believed that a second bomb had been found in a bag nearby, but that it had been determined to be harmless. The police chief added: |
| Those who have planted this bomb are cruel. They aim to kill because everyone knows that at 7 p.m. the shrine is crowded with Thais and foreigners. | Those who have planted this bomb are cruel. They aim to kill because everyone knows that at 7 p.m. the shrine is crowded with Thais and foreigners. |
| Planting a bomb there means they want to see a lot of dead people. | Planting a bomb there means they want to see a lot of dead people. |
| Updated at 5.43pm BST | |
| 5.00pm BST17:00 | 5.00pm BST17:00 |
| Thais, Chinese and one Filipino among the dead, says police official | Thais, Chinese and one Filipino among the dead, says police official |
| At least 10 Thais, one Chinese and one Filipino citizen are among the 16 dead, according to the Thai police chief in the first breakdown of the official death toll. | At least 10 Thais, one Chinese and one Filipino citizen are among the 16 dead, according to the Thai police chief in the first breakdown of the official death toll. |
| The blast struck at about 6.30pm local time when the Erawan shrine was packed with worshippers and tourists. More than 80 people have been wounded, including some foreigners, AFP is reporting. According to the agency’s latest: | The blast struck at about 6.30pm local time when the Erawan shrine was packed with worshippers and tourists. More than 80 people have been wounded, including some foreigners, AFP is reporting. According to the agency’s latest: |
| There were chaotic scenes at Chulakongkorn Hospital, one of a number of nearby medical facilities that received victims as nurses ferried the injured on gurneys. | There were chaotic scenes at Chulakongkorn Hospital, one of a number of nearby medical facilities that received victims as nurses ferried the injured on gurneys. |
| One man who was conscious had visibly burned hair and a number of cuts that were bandaged, an AFP reporter on the scene said. | One man who was conscious had visibly burned hair and a number of cuts that were bandaged, an AFP reporter on the scene said. |
| ‘Some (of the victims) are Chinese,’ Minister for Tourism an Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul told AFP as she visited the hospital. | ‘Some (of the victims) are Chinese,’ Minister for Tourism an Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul told AFP as she visited the hospital. |
| Updated at 5.01pm BST | Updated at 5.01pm BST |
| 4.54pm BST16:54 | 4.54pm BST16:54 |
| Oliver Holmes, the Guardian’s south-east Asia correspondent, is based in Bangkok. He has posted these tweets from the scene of the explosion | Oliver Holmes, the Guardian’s south-east Asia correspondent, is based in Bangkok. He has posted these tweets from the scene of the explosion |
| Bangkok blast scene. pic.twitter.com/Bqr0CrqCBF | Bangkok blast scene. pic.twitter.com/Bqr0CrqCBF |
| Medics sit on the road at the Bangkok blast site. pic.twitter.com/suTfteUueE | Medics sit on the road at the Bangkok blast site. pic.twitter.com/suTfteUueE |
| Stretchers and wheelchairs outside the nearest hospital to the Bangkok blast. pic.twitter.com/JeFLq50G9b | Stretchers and wheelchairs outside the nearest hospital to the Bangkok blast. pic.twitter.com/JeFLq50G9b |
| Blast scene about one hour after the Bangkok bomb. pic.twitter.com/QALgP8rqWe | Blast scene about one hour after the Bangkok bomb. pic.twitter.com/QALgP8rqWe |
| 4.46pm BST16:46 | 4.46pm BST16:46 |
| Oliver Holmes | Oliver Holmes |
| Guardian correspondent Oliver Holmes has the latest from the scene | Guardian correspondent Oliver Holmes has the latest from the scene |
| Medics and police formed a line at the large intersection and walked slowly forward, looking for any debris from the blast. | Medics and police formed a line at the large intersection and walked slowly forward, looking for any debris from the blast. |
| The explosion was large enough to throw a metre-wide chunk of metal to a third-story balcony on the other side of the street, about 50 metres away. Chunks of human flesh lay on the road and medics were collecting them even a couple hours after the blast. | The explosion was large enough to throw a metre-wide chunk of metal to a third-story balcony on the other side of the street, about 50 metres away. Chunks of human flesh lay on the road and medics were collecting them even a couple hours after the blast. |
| There was military in full body armour and helmets, police, fire brigade and also volunteer medics at the scene.Police at the scene could not immediately say how many people had died -- the wounded were taken to several hospitals. | There was military in full body armour and helmets, police, fire brigade and also volunteer medics at the scene.Police at the scene could not immediately say how many people had died -- the wounded were taken to several hospitals. |
| A medic told the Guardian: “Some people died here, some people died at hospital.” He said he had arrived shortly after the blast and was waiting to be of assistance. | A medic told the Guardian: “Some people died here, some people died at hospital.” He said he had arrived shortly after the blast and was waiting to be of assistance. |
| 4.33pm BST16:33 | 4.33pm BST16:33 |
| The spot where the bomb went off is surrounded by high-rise buildings. The shockwave from the explosion was so powerful it blew out windows as high as five storeys above street level, according to this tweet from an eyewitness. | The spot where the bomb went off is surrounded by high-rise buildings. The shockwave from the explosion was so powerful it blew out windows as high as five storeys above street level, according to this tweet from an eyewitness. |
| The blast was so strong. Windows on 5th floor on nearby building shattered pic.twitter.com/i2vjIWUfBh | The blast was so strong. Windows on 5th floor on nearby building shattered pic.twitter.com/i2vjIWUfBh |
| 4.29pm BST16:29 | 4.29pm BST16:29 |
| Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon has told a press conference that the motive behind the attacks is still unclear, although suspicion is falling on Muslim separatists who are staging a low-level insurgency in Thailand’s south. | Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon has told a press conference that the motive behind the attacks is still unclear, although suspicion is falling on Muslim separatists who are staging a low-level insurgency in Thailand’s south. |
| Wongsuwon told reporters: “We still don’t know for sure who did this and why. We are not sure if it is politically motivated, but they aim to harm our economy and we will hunt them down.” | Wongsuwon told reporters: “We still don’t know for sure who did this and why. We are not sure if it is politically motivated, but they aim to harm our economy and we will hunt them down.” |
| Here is some background from AP on insurgency and terrorism in Thailand. | Here is some background from AP on insurgency and terrorism in Thailand. |
| Car bombs are almost unknown in Bangkok, but have been used in southern Thailand, where a Muslim separatist insurgency has been flaring for several years. | Car bombs are almost unknown in Bangkok, but have been used in southern Thailand, where a Muslim separatist insurgency has been flaring for several years. |
| The last major bombings in Bangkok occurred on New Year’s Eve at the end of 2006, when a series of bombs at celebrations around town killed at least three people and wounded dozens. | The last major bombings in Bangkok occurred on New Year’s Eve at the end of 2006, when a series of bombs at celebrations around town killed at least three people and wounded dozens. |
| Those bombings occurred just three months after a military coup ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, and there was speculation that his supporters carried out the attacks in revenge. However, the bombings were never solved. | Those bombings occurred just three months after a military coup ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, and there was speculation that his supporters carried out the attacks in revenge. However, the bombings were never solved. |
| 4.26pm BST16:26 | 4.26pm BST16:26 |
| Channel 4 News has published this dramatic footage of the aftermath of the bombing, showing emergency crews treating the injured. | Channel 4 News has published this dramatic footage of the aftermath of the bombing, showing emergency crews treating the injured. |
| Updated at 4.27pm BST | Updated at 4.27pm BST |
| 4.25pm BST16:25 | 4.25pm BST16:25 |
| The official death toll from the blasts earlier today is rising, AFP reports. | The official death toll from the blasts earlier today is rising, AFP reports. |
| “The death toll is now 16,” police spokesman Prawut Thavornsiri told the French news agency. An emergency medical centre said more than 80 people were injured in the massive blast, AFP’s report said. | “The death toll is now 16,” police spokesman Prawut Thavornsiri told the French news agency. An emergency medical centre said more than 80 people were injured in the massive blast, AFP’s report said. |
| 4.24pm BST16:24 | 4.24pm BST16:24 |
| The Foreign Office is warning British travellers in Bangkok to “monitor media and take care”. As yet there has been no official announcement from the FCO, but they have posted this tweet: | The Foreign Office is warning British travellers in Bangkok to “monitor media and take care”. As yet there has been no official announcement from the FCO, but they have posted this tweet: |
| #Thailand http://t.co/OLgPoazfBE Explosion in central #Bangkok. There are reports of casualties. Monitor media and take extra care. #alert | #Thailand http://t.co/OLgPoazfBE Explosion in central #Bangkok. There are reports of casualties. Monitor media and take extra care. #alert |
| 4.20pm BST16:20 | 4.20pm BST16:20 |
| Eyewitness reports are beginning to come in from around the scene of the blast in Chidlom, a central district of Bangkok. | Eyewitness reports are beginning to come in from around the scene of the blast in Chidlom, a central district of Bangkok. |
| British tourist Tamar Johnson, 20, is on holiday in the city with his family. She and her sister were in a hotel bar minutes away from the explosion. He told Caters News Agency: | British tourist Tamar Johnson, 20, is on holiday in the city with his family. She and her sister were in a hotel bar minutes away from the explosion. He told Caters News Agency: |
| Me and my sister were in the sky bar at the Lebua hotel when we heard a huge explosion. At first we thought it was just thunder because there’s been electrical storms all day so we didn’t think much of it. | Me and my sister were in the sky bar at the Lebua hotel when we heard a huge explosion. At first we thought it was just thunder because there’s been electrical storms all day so we didn’t think much of it. |
| Then my mum phoned me from the hotel. She was shouting about a bomb so we sprinted back to our hotel. It was chaos – people were running around and there were police and ambulances everywhere. | Then my mum phoned me from the hotel. She was shouting about a bomb so we sprinted back to our hotel. It was chaos – people were running around and there were police and ambulances everywhere. |
| I’m almost certain we heard another explosion when we were running back. It’s terrifying. We got back and met up with Mum and Dad –obviously it was a huge relief to see them again. | I’m almost certain we heard another explosion when we were running back. It’s terrifying. We got back and met up with Mum and Dad –obviously it was a huge relief to see them again. |
| Now we’re on the 23rd floor and we’re all together waiting for it to calm down. It’s really scary! The hotel staff are looking after us but they’ve closed the doors and told us not to leave until we hear anything else. | Now we’re on the 23rd floor and we’re all together waiting for it to calm down. It’s really scary! The hotel staff are looking after us but they’ve closed the doors and told us not to leave until we hear anything else. |
| Guardian journalist Oliver Holmes is on scene. He sent this dispatch: | Guardian journalist Oliver Holmes is on scene. He sent this dispatch: |
| There are dozens of ambulances at the major crossing where the explosion happened. On the road there are mangled scooters and shards of glass. | There are dozens of ambulances at the major crossing where the explosion happened. On the road there are mangled scooters and shards of glass. |
| The area is a central shopping district and the raised metro station nearby has been closed. | The area is a central shopping district and the raised metro station nearby has been closed. |
| I arrived on the metro and everyone on board gasped as they passed the blast site, which could be seen from the train. Almost everyone in my carriage was trying to call others on their phones and looking at photos of the scene on social media. | I arrived on the metro and everyone on board gasped as they passed the blast site, which could be seen from the train. Almost everyone in my carriage was trying to call others on their phones and looking at photos of the scene on social media. |
| I saw three police with torches at the nearby Royal Thai police station looking under bushes and walking the grounds in an apparent effort to search for other bombs. | I saw three police with torches at the nearby Royal Thai police station looking under bushes and walking the grounds in an apparent effort to search for other bombs. |
| Police and the fire brigade have cordoned off the area with tape. Hundreds of onlookers but mostly police and some journalists. Everyone jumped when thunder clapped above. | Police and the fire brigade have cordoned off the area with tape. Hundreds of onlookers but mostly police and some journalists. Everyone jumped when thunder clapped above. |
| There is a hospital right next to the blast site but there is a long line of ambulances and so other ambulances are taking wounded to other medical centers. | There is a hospital right next to the blast site but there is a long line of ambulances and so other ambulances are taking wounded to other medical centers. |
| The area is right in the heart of Bangkok, with major highrise hotel chains along the road. | The area is right in the heart of Bangkok, with major highrise hotel chains along the road. |
| Updated at 4.41pm BST | Updated at 4.41pm BST |
| 4.20pm BST16:20 | 4.20pm BST16:20 |
| What we know so far | What we know so far |