Tourists warned as bombs rock top Thailand resorts
‘LOCAL SABOTAGE’: A Thai forensic police officer inspects a blast scene next to a portrait of Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit in the centre of Hua Hin city, Thailand TOURISTS in Thailand were urged to “exercise extreme caution” after a series of bombings left at least four people dead and injured many others, including 11 foreigners.
Yesterday, Thai authorities hunted for culprits behind the wave of bombings targeting popular holiday destinations, as businesses braced for the economic fallout from the attacks on the crucial tourism industry.
The kingdom was on edge after 11 small bombs exploded across five southern provinces on Thursday night and Friday morning.
The bombs, most of them detonated in twin blasts, struck key tourism hubs during a long weekend, including the seaside resort town of Hua Hin and the island of Phuket.
No one has claimed responsibility for the co-ordinated attacks, but police have ruled out international terrorism and said the campaign was an act of “local sabotage”.
“We are confident this was the work of a network with a mastermind,” said deputy police commissioner Ponsapat Pongcharoen.
“It’s still unclear what the motive is,” he said, stressing it was not connected to a simmering insurgency in Thailand’s south, as analysts have suggested.
If the Muslim rebels are to blame, it would mark a major expansion of a secessionist campaign that rarely targets foreigners. It would also be a huge embarrassment to Thailand’s coup-installed military government, which has made boosting national security a flagship policy of its regime.
In hardest-hit Hua Hin, a popular beach resort rocked by four bombs in 24 hours, locals said they were fearful the town’s mainstay industry would suffer just ahead of peak tourist season.
Famed for its idyllic islands and Buddhist temples, Thailand is a tourism powerhouse and was hoping for a record 32 million visitors this year. — AFP