Another daytime bomb attack injures 28 (Updated)

The Victory Monument rally site was rocked by two grenades Sunday, wounding 28, the second such attack in two days The bombs were of the same type as the one used in yesterday's bombing and this time there is a clear CCTV image of the assailant.

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Monday updates

16:00

CCTV video footage released. Police have shown a small portion of the CCTV video footage that clearly shows the unidentified man throwing the bomb. And, not surprisingly, the Criminal Court has agreed to the police request to issue an arrest warrant for the man.

13:05

Have the recent spate of bombings and shootings confined the PDRC protesters to the relative safety of their rally sites. Apparently not. At the moment, there is a major march going on to the Government Savings Bank which is rumoured to be under pressure to help finance the government's troubled rice pledging scheme. Protesters say the poorly-planned scheme should not be rescued with the savings of ordinary people.

Meanwhile, at the Bank For Agriculture and Agricultural Co-operatives (BAAC), which is the main source of funding for the scheme, employees are wearing black today to protest against attempts to increase its funding for the scheme, which they say, would endanger the stability of the bank.

12:45

There were two reports of shootings near rally sites last night.

At the Makkawan Rangsan Bridge on Sunday night, a security guard for the Network of Students and People for Reform of Thailand on Ratchadamnoen Nok Avenue was shot and injured by an unidentified assailant on. The bullet grazed Mr Sitthichai’s chest and he was taken to Vajira Hospital. He was not hurt seriously, however.

In the second incident, motorcyclists fired shots at anti-government protest guards stationed in the Chaeng Wattana road area early Monday morning. There was no report of any injury.

Meanwhile, Sithinee Huangnak, a reporter for Post Today, the Bangkok Post's sister newspaper and one of the 28 people wounded in yesterday's grenade explosions has told her story.

She was admitted to nearby Ratchawithi Hospital. Sithinee was later transferred to Phyathai Hospital 2 hospital.

Sithinee said she was looking for a place to write a news report when the blast took place. She found the backstage tent where VIPs were staying and decided to leave it out of concerns that it might not be a safe place.

As she was walking away, she heard something drop and turned to look. She ran for cover when she realised it was a grenade. She felt a sharp pain in her left hip as the bomb went off.

"I've been careful when covering protests. I usually look for places where I can seek cover. It is the first serious incident for me. Previously it was just tear gas," she said.

Another daytime bomb attack injures 28

For a second time in two days People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) protesters have been hit by a brazen daytime bombing attack. This one took place at the Victory Monument almost exactly 24 hours after yesterday's attack on marchers at Banthat Thong road and involved two hand grenades.

This time, CCTV cameras at the site captured very clear images on the assailant. Police say the hand grenades used in today's attack used in the attacks are of the same type, Chinese or Russian made.

Two grenade safety levers and a grenade safety pin were found at the scene, and this should significantly aid the investigation.

Altogether 28 people were injured, including Sithinee Huangnak, a female Post Today reporter. Seven were reported to be in serious condition.

Thaworn Senneam, a former Democrat MP and core PDRC co-leader in charge at the Victory Monument rally base, said an unidentified man threw an explosive device near a press centre tent behind the rally stage and ran off at about 1.30pm. He said he believed the bomb was intended for him, but it hit a tree. The man was chased by security guards and protesters, prompting him to toss another bomb.

But the group continued to try to catch him and the man fired a shot at them, leaving one person injured, before fleeing on a motorcycle driven by another man, heading toward Tuek Chai intersection.  

Meanwhile, new information has emerged on yesterday bombing incident at Banthat Thong road which killed on marcher and injured 37 more. Pol Maj Gen Adul Narongsak, deputy chief of the Metropolitan Police, says a close examation of the CCTV video footage of the incident reveals clear two suspects.

Watch at the back of the crowd to the left of vehicle where the bomb explodes. At about the 9 second mark, you will see a man in white cap walk quickly to the side of the road, where Pol Maj Gen Adul says he hid himself behind an iron box containing telephone circuit boards.  Then at the 18-second, after the bomb explodes, a man in black, opens the door of the vehicle and runs to the same spot. Shortly later they come out and, ignoring the victims, the man in the white cap picks something off the ground.

For Deputy Prime Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul, who is in charge of Centre for the Administration of Peace and Order (Capo), this was enough to indicate the someone connected with the PDRC staged the event, aiming to blame it on the government.

Clearly this is going to be a very interesting investigation.

Update (22:15) The driver of the vehicle, the man seen running away, just appeared on the PDRC stage at Pathumwan. I know that he flatly denied throwing the grenade, but at this time I don't have any more information of what he said. Here is what he looks like.

If you are interest, there is a better photo and more information on Kanok Ratwongsakul's Facebook page. Two men spoke on the Pathumwan stage, one who whom was in the back of the vehicle and fell down from the blast. Hopefully, there will be a video clip of what they said, so we can get full details.

Includes information from our online reporters

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