Several detained over deadly blasts

Thailand’s army said on Monday it had detained several people for questioning over a wave of deadly bombings in some of the country’s best known beach resorts that killed four people and wounded dozens, including tourists.

Last week’s blasts came days after Thais voted to accept a Constitution that paves the way for an election at the end of 2017.

No group has claimed responsibility, although police and the government have ruled out ties to foreign groups, linking the bombings to an unspecified domestic issue.

Analysts say suspicion would inevitably fall on enemies of the government aggrieved by the referendum results, or insurgents from Muslim-majority provinces in the south of the predominantly Buddhist country.

Several people are being held at army facilities, but Prawit Wongsuwan, none have been charged, military government spokesman Colonel Winthai Suvaree said.

“Ever since the incident on Aug 11, the army has used Article 44 to summon people who the state think can give useful information,” Winthai said.

The legislation gives the government absolute power to take any steps needed to protect the public peace and detain people for up to seven days without a court warrant.

“They were sent to various army camps,” added Winthai, who declined to say how many were detained, although rights groups fear the number runs into the dozens. “Nobody has been charged so far.”

On Sunday, a deputy national police chief said the attacks were carried out simultaneously by one group on the orders of one person, but gave no further details.

Revenue loss

Over the weekend, authorities defused at least five explosive devices that had failed to detonate.

Defense Minister Prawit Wongsuwan said the blasts were “definitely” not related to the southern insurgency, although some involved might have come from the region.

“It is definitely not an extension of the deep south insurgency,” Prawit told reporters on Monday. “But it is possible they could have been hired from there.”

Due to the deadly blasts, Thailand could lose up to 200,000 foreign visitors and $293 million in tourism revenue this year, said Yuthasak Supasorn, governor of the state Tourism Authority of Thailand.

Embassies in Thailand have warned their citizens to stay vigilant and some have warned that there could be more attacks.

Tourism accounts for 10 percent of Thai gross domestic product and is one of the few bright spots in an economy that has struggled under the stewardship of a military government that seized power in a bloodless coup two years ago.

The country had been expecting a record 32 million visitors in 2016, with expected revenue of $70 billion.

It is definitely not an extension of the deep south insurgency. But it is possible they could have been hired from there.”