August 2016 Thailand bombings
| August 2016 Thailand bombings | |
|---|---|
| Part of the South Thailand Insurgency | |
| Location | Phuket, Trang, Hua Hin, Surat Thani |
| Date | 11–12 August 2016 |
Attack type | Bombings |
| Deaths |
1 (11 August) |
Non-fatal injuries | 36[1] |
| Perpetrators | Muslim separatists (suspected)[2] |
Suspected perpetrators | 2 suspects arrested[1] |
On 11 August 2016, two bombs exploded in the Thai resort town of Hua Hin.[3] One person was killed and 23, many of them tourists, were injured. The next day, several more bombings took place, again targeting Hua Hin as well as Surat Thani, Phuket and Trang. At least two people were killed and many more were injured. In total, at least four people were killed and 36 injured.
11 August
Two bombs exploded in Hua Hin at about 10:20 p.m. local time on 11 August. One Thai woman selling fruit on the street was killed and 23 people, including twelve foreigners, were injured. The injured include two English, two Dutch, one German and seven from Austria and Italy.[4]
12 August
Hua Hin
Three more explosions occurred in Hua Hin on 12 August, killing one and injuring at least four others.[5]
Surat Thani
A bomb that had been hidden in a flower pot exploded outside the Surat Thani police station and killed a municipal employee.[5]
Phuket
Phuket Island was hit with two explosions on 12 August. The first occurred in the Loma Park, an area popular with tourists. The second occurred in Patong near a police station.[5]
Trang
A bombing occurred in Trang, killing one person and injuring six others.[5][6]
Casualties
| Country | Deaths | Injured |
|---|---|---|
 Thailand |
4 | 26 |
 Italy |
3 | |
 Netherlands |
3 | |
 Germany |
3 | |
 United Kingdom |
2 | |
 Austria |
1 | |
| Total | 4 | 36 |
Reaction
No group has claimed responsibility but authorities strongly suspect that Pattani separatists are behind the bombings.[6]
On 12 August, the Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha mentioned "bad people [that] have been acting since before the referendum." and "[w]e must not blame one another. We have never hurt or had conflicts with anyone, be it domestic or abroad."[7]
Two suspects have been arrested in relation to the bombings with the Thai government stating their motive was "to create chaos and confusion".[1]
See also
- 2005 Songkhla bombings
- 2006 Hat Yai bombings
- 2007 South Thailand bombings
- 2012 Southern Thailand bombings
- 22 December 2013 South Thailand bombings
References
- 1 2 3 Holmes, Oliver. "Thai police arrest two men over coordinated bomb attacks". theguardian.com. The Guardian. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
- ↑ Hookway, James; Watcharasakwet, Wilawan (16 August 2016). "Thailand Eyes Muslim Separatists in Deadly String of Bombings". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 18 August 2016.
- ↑ Kocha Olarn; Joshua Berlinger; Lauren Said-Moorhouse (12 August 2016). "Phuket, Hua Hin hit as Thailand rocked by 11 bombs in one day". CNN. Retrieved 18 August 2016.
- ↑ "2 explosions hit Thailand’s Hua Hin resort town, 1 killed, 23 injured incl. foreigners – reports". rt.com. Russia Today. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 "New bomb attacks kill at least 1 in Thailand, reports of many injured". rt.com. Russia Today. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
- 1 2 "Thailand blasts: More explosions target tourist towns". bbc.com. BBC. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
- ↑ "Prayuth Links ‘Bad People’ Behind Bombs to Referendum, Calls For Patience". khaosodenglish.com. Khaosod English. Retrieved 13 August 2016.