Who is blowing up Bangkok?
It seems like anybody can blow up Bangkok and public never gets to find out who is behind it. Do the police and government just assume that people forget about these things after a while?
Remember when a number of bombs exploded in Bangkok on New Year’s Eve killing three people? I do. It was nearly a year ago and we still don’t know who did it and why. I can only imagine what sort of explosion it would take for the Thai government to think, “Ooh, we’d better find out who did this one.”
The Thai police are great at talking, but less efficient at actually doing anything.
On Sunday, two bomb-disposal officers were injured trying to defuse a bomb outside army headquarters. The media speculated about who was behind it, and a military Internal Security Operations Command's spokesman said the blast was “unlikely to be related to the insurgency in southern Thailand. It is more likely to be politically motivated”.
Prime Minister Surayud also suggested the bombing was politically motivated, but of course, he was just guessing.
And that was it. Just another explosion in Bangkok thrown into the “don’t ask us” category. Bombs in big cities aren’t normal, so why isn’t anybody coming up with any answers?
On January 30, two grenades exploded at the Daily News newspaper’s HQ and the Rama Garden Hotel car park. Anybody know who did it?
In April, a bomb exploded outside Major Ratchayothin complex. It was linked to the new Year’s Eve bombings… but that was as far as police got.
Who is blowing up Bangkok?
Here's a few thoughts. Thailand seems to like to display its criminals publicly. You know, ala John Mark Karr. If they knew who'd done it, they would parade those people before the media.
That would indicate that they simply don't know.
But…
What if they do know.. but have classified the information because they are investigating at a higher level? You know.. following the trail, so to speak.
That's all that comes to mind at the moment. :)
Peace,
~Chani
http://thailandgal.blogspot.com
I think Chani is being highly optimistic. Maybe I'm cynical but I find it hard to believe our lovely boys in brown who are overweight, under trained, under funded and highly corrupt – which is why so many of them are opposing Surayud's reform bill – are investigating things "on a higher level".
Then again of course , after the new year bombs, Surayud and Sonthi threatened to invoke "an investigation overseeing force" which consisted of not police but…..soldiers!
Hurrrah! We're saved! Who would fear anything when we have the guardians of national security on our side?! I mean, just look at how well trained, uncorrupt, professional and skilled they are! OK They have never actually PROVED any of that because, unlike the cops, they never have any real work to do except to appoint themselves directors of state companies. But hey, they talk a good game so they must be great, right? :-)
You are right Matt, as is Chani. The Thai police are just a joke, I saw someone else comment a while back that the boys in brown can't even stop drivers going through red lights let alone catch criminals without a confession or an informant. If they knew who the bombers are/were, they would have called in the TV crews to put them on display long since.
It is a huge loss of face to say the police and Government don't know who the bombers are and they haven't actually caught anyone so they say they know when they just don't say it. they lie. After a while it all just goes away.
In any event, how big can the bomb be when the guy who had it in his hands when it exploded suffered minor injuries to his hands? As a child there were bigger injuries than that from 'penny banger' fireworks. When I saw the TV coverage the 'blast area' was about what I would have expected from a cherry bomb. But to have reported the likely actual size of the bomb would have made the whole hoo-ha look completely ridiculous, and would have lost the essential drama of the moment I suppose. And the Thais do love their moments of drama.
As someone who was in UK during the Irish bombing campaign, I find the sight of Thai police strutting around and looking all important and serious over an explosion no bigger than a cherry bomb to be faintly amusing. Still, It was interesting to see the police doing what they do best though… standing around.
I heard this is an internal issue, that's why it is staying out of the media. When the coup took place, it was ochestrated by numerous factions who were promised a piece of the pie. That promise hasn't come to fruition, and certain people are pissed they didn't get what they were promised, and thus are sending out warnings
[...] The Lost Boy wants to know who is blowing up Bangkok. The Thai capital city has been target of multiple bomb attacks over the last year and still there is no confirmation on who is carrying out the attacks. Share This [...]
I have been reading newspapers about those what happened to my neighbour, Thais and seems to me that the situation is much complicated than what I thought ? Who are those mysteries bombers ?shooters ?
Hey Dangle. Comments received, however there is no such thing as an internal bombs issue. Bombs (even little ones like these penny squibs) are a danger to people. Also, it isn't staying out of the media, it was all over the papers and the telly.
I meant internal within the Junta, and it's not the blasts that are out of the media, the follow up investigations are, such as where the military explosives come from. It's just what I heard, not sure if it's the case…
Dangle. Thanks for the clarification. True enough, the wonderful Thai version of investigative journalism is staying awfully quiet. I sure am glad it isn't like the bad old Shinawatr days, when the press was in the pocket of the pooyay's.
Matt,
"And that was it. Just another explosion in Bangkok thrown into the “don’t ask us” category."
- was my reaction as well. I blogged the bombing, this post has links to further speculation:
http://jotman.blogspot.com/2007/10/psst-bangkok-got-bombed-last-night.html