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| Thailand blasts: More explosions target tourist towns | Thailand blasts: More explosions target tourist towns |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A series of coordinated blasts across Thailand has targeted tourist towns leaving four dead and many injured, with reports of more explosions. | |
| In the popular resort town of Hua Hin four bombs exploded over the past 24 hours. Several blasts also hit the island of Phuket on Friday. | |
| No group has said it carried out the attacks, but suspicion is likely to fall on separatist insurgents. | No group has said it carried out the attacks, but suspicion is likely to fall on separatist insurgents. |
| The timing is sensitive as Thais mark a long weekend for the queen's birthday. | The timing is sensitive as Thais mark a long weekend for the queen's birthday. |
| Police on Friday ruled out international terrorism and said that any links to the southern insurgency were unclear. | |
| The BBC's Jonathan Head in Bangkok says that if it turns out insurgents are behind these attacks it would mark a significant change of tactics after a 12-year conflict which has killed more than 6,000 people, but has never targeted tourists. | The BBC's Jonathan Head in Bangkok says that if it turns out insurgents are behind these attacks it would mark a significant change of tactics after a 12-year conflict which has killed more than 6,000 people, but has never targeted tourists. |
| Where are the blasts? | Where are the blasts? |
| Reports of sporadic blasts across the southern half of Thailand are still coming in. So far the locations include: | |
| Blasts across Thailand in pictures | Blasts across Thailand in pictures |
| Hua Hin is about 200km ( 125 miles) south of Bangkok while the province of Phuket is in the far south of the country. Both are areas extremely popular with tourists. | Hua Hin is about 200km ( 125 miles) south of Bangkok while the province of Phuket is in the far south of the country. Both are areas extremely popular with tourists. |
| Why has Hua Hin been targeted? | Why has Hua Hin been targeted? |
| The choice of Hua Hin as a target is symbolic, our correspondent says, being known as a royal city and the king's favoured residence outside Bangkok. | The choice of Hua Hin as a target is symbolic, our correspondent says, being known as a royal city and the king's favoured residence outside Bangkok. |
| Last night twin explosions struck a bar area popular with tourists and foreigners were among those injured. Two explosions this morning hit the clock tower in the town centre. | |
| Has Thailand seen similar attacks? | |
| Small improvised bomb attacks have frequently been used in Thailand at times of political unrest, but since the military took power in a coup in May 2014 such attacks have been extremely rare. | Small improvised bomb attacks have frequently been used in Thailand at times of political unrest, but since the military took power in a coup in May 2014 such attacks have been extremely rare. |
| "The bombs are an attempt to create chaos and confusion," PM Prayuth Chan-ocha said to reporters. "We should not make people panic more." | "The bombs are an attempt to create chaos and confusion," PM Prayuth Chan-ocha said to reporters. "We should not make people panic more." |
| This comes just days before the one-year anniversary of the bomb blast at the Erawan shrine in Bangkok that killed 20 people. | This comes just days before the one-year anniversary of the bomb blast at the Erawan shrine in Bangkok that killed 20 people. |
| Last week, Thais voted in a referendum which approved a new constitution that will strengthen the military's influence in politics for many years. | Last week, Thais voted in a referendum which approved a new constitution that will strengthen the military's influence in politics for many years. |
| The UK Foreign Office has advised people in tourist areas in Thailand to "exercise extreme caution, avoid public places and follow the advice of local authorities". | The UK Foreign Office has advised people in tourist areas in Thailand to "exercise extreme caution, avoid public places and follow the advice of local authorities". |
| Are you in any of the areas affected? You can share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | |
| Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | |
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