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Bangkok Post front page, January 1, 2007

The 2006 Bangkok bombings occurred on December 31, 2006 and January 1, 2007, during New Year's Eve festivities in the Thai capital. Four explosions went off almost simultaneously in different parts of the city at around 6:00 p.m. local time (1100 GMT). There were at least seven small explosions taking place within 90 minutes of each other, in the capital and the surrounding metropolitan area. In total, eight explosions occurred during the night. As of January 1, 2007, three people were confirmed dead and more than 38 injured.^[1] December 31 is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. ... 2007 (MMVII) is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... ... For other uses, see Bomb (disambiguation). ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1024x768, 419 KB) This work is copyrighted and unlicensed. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1024x768, 419 KB) This work is copyrighted and unlicensed. ... The Bangkok Post is one of three daily English-language newspapers published in Bangkok, Thailand. ... Chakri Mahaprasad Hall The Bangkok Skytrain at sunset on Thanon Narathiwat Ratcha Nakharin with the Empire Tower in the background. ... December 31 is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. ... 2007 (MMVII) is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other articles with similar names, see New Year (disambiguation). ...

Authorities ordered all public New Year's Eve events cancelled, including the countdown at the CentralWorld shopping center and the alms-giving at Sanam Luang.^[2] For other articles with similar names, see New Year (disambiguation). ... Central World Central World Plaza Bangkok CentralWorld is a large shopping mall and office complex in Bangkok owned by the Central Group. ... Sanam Luang Sanam Luang (Thai : สนามหลวง) is an open field in front of the Wat Phra Kaew and the Grand Palace. ...

One man was arrested carrying an explosive device. Nobody claimed responsibility for the bombings, and both the Thai Rak Thai party and deposed Premier Thaksin Shinawatra denied involvement.^[3] The initials "IRK" were found written in marker in four places at three bomb sites. The IRK is a an Afghanistan-trained urban guerilla terrorism unit.^[4] However, Interior Minister Aree Wong-araya shrugged off suggestions that the culprits were Muslim terrorists.^[5] A meeting between Premier Surayud Chulanont and various security and intelligence agencies on the evening of December 31 failed to officially identify culprits for the attacks.^[6] However, on January 1, Surayud announced that the bombings had nothing to do with the southern insurgency, noting that, "I don't think they would come here as they could get lost in Bangkok."^[7] Surayud blamed the "old power clique" was behind the bombings. However, he noted that he was not referring only to the deposed government of Thaksin Shinawatra, but to all those who had lost political power due to the coup.^[8] Thai Rak Thai (ไทยรักไทย, lit. ... Wikinews has news related to: Thai PM Shinawatra ousted by coup   (Thai: , IPA: ; born July 26, 1949 in Chiang Mai, Thailand with family roots in Meizhou, Guangdong, China), Thai businessman and politician, is the deposed Prime Minister of Thailand and the former leader of the populist Thai Rak Thai party. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ... Flag of Pattani Raya, a symbol of Pattani separatism The South Thailand insurgency is a separatist campaign centered in the Pattani region, three southern provinces of Thailand, with violence increasingly spilling over into neighbouring provinces and threatening to extend up to the national capital in Bangkok. ...

Bombings

The Victory Monument, site of one of the bombs

Six explosives went off almost simultaneously in Bangkok, killing three and injuring at least 36 people, as revellers were about to start celebrating the New Year's Eve. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (741x941, 135 KB) VictoryMonument. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (741x941, 135 KB) VictoryMonument. ...

• Victory Monument. Seventeen people were injured. Two Thais died at the hospital from injuries. The bomb was placed in a bus-stop shelter and went off at around 6:00 p.m. A second bomb went off nearby shortly after.^[9][10][11] One Hungarian was reported injured.^[12] The bomb ripped through the bus stops, shattered windows at the nearby restaurant and sent debris in all directions.
• Khlong Toei, near the Na Ranong intersection. A bomb hidden in a trash can near a Chinese spirit shrine exploded and injured three people, including a 10-year-old girl. A 61-year-old man died at the hospital from injuries. The explosion caused a secondary explosion in a number of cooking gas cylinders that were situated nearby.^[9]
• Saphan Khwai intersection, Phaya Thai District. Another bomb went off at a police box. Two people were injured. Witnesses saw a man dropping a grenade from a pedestrian bridge onto the police box, seriously injuring 1 person. Residue of C4 and TNT were found at the scene.^[9]
• Seacon Square Shopping Mall, Prawet District. An unexploded bomb was found in a trash can near a gold shop on the first floor inside the mall. It was removed to the carpark where it exploded, creating panic but causing no injuries. Authorities ordered all shoppers to evacuate the mall, one of Bangkok's largest, and all shops to close.^[9]
• Khae Rai intersection, Mueang district, Nonthaburi Province (13°51′31″N, 100°31′15″E). A police box was bombed but no injuries were reported.^[9]
• Sukhumvit Soi 62. A police box at the entrance of the soi was bombed, but no injuries were reported.^[9]

New Year's celebrations at CentralWorld and Sanam Luang were cancelled.^[13] The Victory Monument, Bangkok The Victory Monument: showing the military statues around the base The Victory Monument (Thai: อนุสาวรีย์ชัยสมรภูมิ, Anusawari Chai Samoraphum) is a large military monument in Bangkok, Thailand. ... Khlong Toei (also Klong Toey, Thai คลองเตย) is a district in central Bangkok, long known for substandard housing and its port facilities nearby. ... Phaya Thai (Thai พญาไท) is a district in central Bangkok, Thailand. ... District in central Bangkok, Thailand, north of Ratchathewi, west of Din Daeng, close to Victory Monument. ... Inside Seacon Square. ... Prawet (Thai ประเวศ) is one of the 50 districts of Bangkok, located in the southeast of the town. ... Amphoe Mueang Nonthaburi is a district of Nonthaburi province in Thailand. ... Nonthaburi (Thai นนทบุรี) is one of the central provinces (changwat) of Thailand. ... Sukhumvit Road (Thai สุขุมวิท) is one of the major roads in Bangkok, Thailand. ... SOI might be an acronym or abbreviation for: School of Infantry Shadows of Isildur A popular RPI MUD. silicon on insulator Southern Oscillation Index Service-Oriented Integration Sphere of influence Soi A side street in Bangkok Saturn orbit insertion Structure of Intellect model of human intelligence originally described by J... Central World Central World Plaza Bangkok CentralWorld is a large shopping mall and office complex in Bangkok owned by the Central Group. ... Sanam Luang Sanam Luang (Thai : สนามหลวง) is an open field in front of the Wat Phra Kaew and the Grand Palace. ...

However, two more bombs exploded almost immediately after midnight in the vicinity of CentralWorld. Three Serbs, two Englishmen, two Thais, and one Irishman were among those injured. Central World Central World Plaza Bangkok CentralWorld is a large shopping mall and office complex in Bangkok owned by the Central Group. ...

• Best Sea Foods restaurant on Khlong Saen Saeb near Pratunam Pier and CentralWorld. Three foreigners and two Thais were injured. One of the foreigners' legs was blown off by the blast. The foreign tourists were having dinner at the restaurant.^[14][2]
• A public telephone booth at the pedestrian flyover linking CentralWorld and Gaysorn Plaza. Several foreigners were injured.^[14][2]
• Three additional unexploded bombs were found in the area.^{[citation needed]}
  

  

  Khaosan Road, where a bomb was found undetonated

Police investigated several other incidents. Bridge Saphan Chaloem La 56 at Phaya Thai Road over Khlong Saen Saep, built in 1908 by King Chulalongkorn. ... Pratunam Market (Thai: ) is one of Bangkoks major markets, focusing on clothes which makes it Thailands largest clothing market. ... Image File history File links Khaosan. ... Image File history File links Khaosan. ...

• A suspected bomb was investigated at the Buddy Bar on Khaosan Road about half an hour after midnight. Tourists had earlier been ordered to leave the area.^[14] The bomb report later turned out to be false.^[15]
• By 1 a.m., police disabled another bomb at the Suan Lum Night Bazaar before the bomb could explode.^[14][2]

Khaosan Rd. ... Suan Lum Night Bazaar is one of Bangkoks large markets. ...

Victims

The wave of bombings claimed three deaths, all of whom where Thai nationals: two individuals were killed at the moment of the explosion, while one died after being brought to the hospital. Songkran Kanchana, 36 and Ekkachai Ruangpoom, 26, were at the Victory Monument, while Suvichai Nak-iam, 61, was at Khlong Toei. The Victory Monument, Bangkok The Victory Monument: showing the military statues around the base The Victory Monument (Thai: อนุสาวรีย์ชัยสมรภูมิ, Anusawari Chai Samoraphum) is a large military monument in Bangkok, Thailand. ... Khlong Toei (also Klong Toey, Thai คลองเตย) is a district in central Bangkok, long known for substandard housing and its port facilities nearby. ...

An additional 38 persons standing nearby the blast zones were also injured. Amongst the victims, eight foreigners were hurt: 2 British men, 3 Hungarians, 2 Serbs and 1 American.^[1].

The Victory Monument, Bangkok The Victory Monument: showing the military statues around the base The Victory Monument (Thai: อนุสาวรีย์ชัยสมรภูมิ, Anusawari Chai Samoraphum) is a large military monument in Bangkok, Thailand. ... Khlong Toei (also Klong Toey, Thai คลองเตย) is a district in central Bangkok, long known for substandard housing and its port facilities nearby. ... Phaya Thai (Thai พญาไท) is a district in central Bangkok, Thailand. ... Inside Seacon Square. ... Sukhumvit Road (Thai สุขุมวิท) is one of the major roads in Bangkok, Thailand. ... Central World Central World Plaza Bangkok CentralWorld is a large shopping mall and office complex in Bangkok owned by the Central Group. ... Central World Central World Plaza Bangkok CentralWorld is a large shopping mall and office complex in Bangkok owned by the Central Group. ...

Bombs

Police General Ajiravid Subarnbhesaj claimed that all eight bombs were placed in 3x5-inch boxes and detonated by digital alarm clock. Traces of M4 high explosive booster were found in all of the bombs.^[16] Other military ordinance sources claimed the bombs were all Ammonium Nitrate Fuel Oil (ANFO)/M4 bombs.^[17] This would make the bombs the same type as found in a car outside of Thaksin Shinawatra residence in August 2006 . M4 flame fuel thickening compound is a nonhygroscopic thickener, adi-acid aluminum soap of isooctanoic acides derived from isooctyl alcohol or isooctyl aldehyd, which are obtained from the oxidization of petroleum. ... ANFO stands for ammonium nitrate/fuel oil (most often diesel fuel, sometimes kerosene or even molasses). ... M4 flame fuel thickening compound is a nonhygroscopic thickener, adi-acid aluminum soap of isooctanoic acides derived from isooctyl alcohol or isooctyl aldehyd, which are obtained from the oxidization of petroleum. ... Wikinews has news related to: Thaksin Shinawatra   (Thai: , IPA: ; born July 26, 1949 in Chiang Mai, Thailand), Thai businessman and politician, is the deposed Prime Minister of Thailand and the former leader of the populist Thai Rak Thai party. ...

Responsibility

Forewarning of the bombings

Authorities had earlier warned of an escalation of the South Thailand insurgency during the New Year period.^[18] Flag of Pattani Raya, a symbol of Pattani separatism The South Thailand insurgency is a separatist campaign centered in the Pattani region, three southern provinces of Thailand, with violence increasingly spilling over into neighbouring provinces and threatening to extend up to the national capital in Bangkok. ...

Thai Military Intelligence and the Special Branch received intelligence that there would be bombs in up to 30 places in Bangkok and surrounding areas, particularly popular shopping malls like Siam Paragon, the Mall Bangkapi, and Seacon Square.^[19] Siam Paragon Siam Paragon is a shopping mall in Bangkok, Thailand, located near the Siam Square. ... Inside Seacon Square. ...

Identity of the bombers

Nobody claimed responsibility for the bombings, and both the Thai Rak Thai party and deposed Premier Thaksin Shinawatra denied involvement.^[3] Thai Rak Thai (ไทยรักไทย, lit. ... Wikinews has news related to: Thai PM Shinawatra ousted by coup   (Thai: , IPA: ; born July 26, 1949 in Chiang Mai, Thailand with family roots in Meizhou, Guangdong, China), Thai businessman and politician, is the deposed Prime Minister of Thailand and the former leader of the populist Thai Rak Thai party. ...

The initials "IRK" were found written in marker in four places at three bomb sites - a pillar near a bus stop at Victory Monument, a phone booth near Gaysorn Plaza, a phone booth near Pratunam Pier, and a phone booth near Big C Rajdamri. The IRK is a an Afghanistan-trained urban guerilla terrorism unit. However, Interior Minister Aree Wong-araya shrugged off suggestions that the culprits were Muslim militants.^[20] Senior junta leadership agreed that Muslim terrorists were not involved, and that the initials were meant to frame the IRK and muddy the waters.^[21] The Victory Monument, Bangkok The Victory Monument: showing the military statues around the base The Victory Monument (Thai: อนุสาวรีย์ชัยสมรภูมิ, Anusawari Chai Samoraphum) is a large military monument in Bangkok, Thailand. ... Pratunam Market (Thai: ) is one of Bangkoks major markets, focusing on clothes which makes it Thailands largest clothing market. ...

The junta attributed the bombings to various groups. Government security sources blamed the "old power clique," a possible reference to members of the government of deposed Premier Thaksin Shinawatra.^[22] Other security sources said that the bombings might provide the junta with reason to seize Thaksin's sizable personal assets.^[23] The Thai Rak Thai party denied orchestrating the bombings and warned the junta not to point fingers without facts.^[24] "Based on the government's information and intelligence agencies, it was the work of people who lost power, but I cannot clearly say which group was behind it," he said.^[25] Wikinews has news related to: Thai PM Shinawatra ousted by coup   (Thai: , IPA: ; born July 26, 1949 in Chiang Mai, Thailand with family roots in Meizhou, Guangdong, China), Thai businessman and politician, is the deposed Prime Minister of Thailand and the former leader of the populist Thai Rak Thai party. ... This article focuses on the military junta that overthrew the elected civilian government of Thailand in the 2006 Thailand coup. ... Thai Rak Thai (ไทยรักไทย, lit. ...

Anti-Thaksin newspaper editor Sondhi Limthongkul said he believed the bombings were orchestrated by "undercurrents", supporters of the deposed government of Thaksin Shinawatra, who wanted to discredit the junta, but he cited no evidence.^[26] Sondhi Limthongkul (Thai: สนธิ ลิ้มทองกุล) (Chinese: 林明達 Lin Ming Da) is a controversial Thai journalist and the owner of the Phujatkarn Daily (ผู้จัดการรายวัน), a local Thai newspaper. ... Wikinews has news related to: Thai PM Shinawatra ousted by coup   (Thai: , IPA: ; born July 26, 1949 in Chiang Mai, Thailand with family roots in Meizhou, Guangdong, China), Thai businessman and politician, is the deposed Prime Minister of Thailand and the former leader of the populist Thai Rak Thai party. ...

A meeting between Premier Surayud Chulanont and various security and intelligence agencies on the evening of December 31 failed to officially identify culprits for the attacks.^[27] To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ...

However, on January 1, Surayud announced that the bombings had nothing to do with the southern insurgency, noting that, "I don't think they would come here as they could get lost in Bangkok."^[28] He claimed that the "old power clique" was the mastermind. He claimed that he was not referring only to the deposed government of Thaksin Shinawatra, but to all those who had lost political power due to the coup.^[29] Flag of Pattani Raya, a symbol of Pattani separatism The South Thailand insurgency is a separatist campaign centered in the Pattani region, three southern provinces of Thailand, with violence increasingly spilling over into neighbouring provinces and threatening to extend up to the national capital in Bangkok. ...

Aftermath

Further bombings

At 8.45 AM on January 1, 2007, a motorcycle rider threw an improvised bomb into a mosque in Chang Klan Road in Chiang Mai, injuring four people, including the Burmese janitor. The mosque keeper claimed that a grenade had been lobbed in, but an army bomb expert claimed the blast was caused by the premature explosion of a bomb being built by the mosque keeper.^[30][31] January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. ... 2007 (MMVII) is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A street scene in Chiang Mai, showing (centre right), a gate of the old city wall. ... Grenade may refer to: The well-known hand grenade commonly used by soldiers. ...

Security measures and junta responses

Several foreign embassies issued travel warnings to their citizens in Bangkok warning that further attacks are possible.^[32]

The junta ordered the military to the streets of Bangkok to control the situation. 6,000 checkpoints were setup throughout Bangkok. Army Commanders for the North, Northeast, and the South are placed on alert. Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayothin ordered all 50 districts in Bangkok to collect all their rubbish bins.^[33][34] This article focuses on the military junta that overthrew the elected civilian government of Thailand in the 2006 Thailand coup. ... Apirak Kosayothin (Thai อภิรักษ์ โกษะโยธิน, born March 30, 1961) is a Thai manager and the current governor of Bangkok. ...

Junta head Sonthi Boonratkalin cut short his hajj and flew back from Saudi Arabia to meet with the junta leadership in the afternoon of January 1, 2007^[35] Later on that same day, assistant police commissioner Jongrak Juthanon was assigned to lead an investigation into the deadly incidents.^[36] General Sonthi Boonyaratglin (Thai: , RTGS: Sonthi Bunyaratkalin) (b. ... The Hajj (Arabic: ‎, translit: ; Turkish: ; Ottoman Turkish: حاج, Hāc; Malay: ) is the Pilgrimage to Mecca in Islam. ...

References

December 31 is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... MCOT Public Company Limited (Thai: บริษัท อสมท จำกัด (มหาชน)) is a Thai media conglomerate. ...

See also

• Thailand
• Bangkok
• Council for National Security
• Surayud Chulanont
• List of terrorist incidents
• South Thailand insurgency

Chakri Mahaprasad Hall The Bangkok Skytrain at sunset on Thanon Narathiwat Ratcha Nakharin with the Empire Tower in the background. ... This article focuses on the military junta that overthrew the elected civilian government of Thailand in the 2006 Thailand coup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ... This does not cite its references or sources. ... Flag of Pattani Raya, a symbol of Pattani separatism The South Thailand insurgency is a separatist campaign centered in the Pattani region, three southern provinces of Thailand, with violence increasingly spilling over into neighbouring provinces and threatening to extend up to the national capital in Bangkok. ...

External links

Wikinews has news related to:

• Bombings reported in Bangkok
• Bangkok hit with further New Year bomb blasts

• List of bomb victims
• Bangkok Post: Bomb attacks reported in Bangkok
• BBC News: Bangkok explosions leave two dead
• BBC Map