AP:
At least six bomb blasts rocked the Thai capital late Sunday, killing at least two people and prompting the city to disperse thousands of people who had gathered to celebrate New Year’s Eve.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the bombings, which capped a year of unrest in Thailand, including a military coup three months ago and a mounting Muslim insurgency in its southernmost provinces.
CNN:
Thai authorities have canceled all major New Year’s celebrations in Bangkok after at least seven explosions ripped through several areas of the capital, killing two people, police and hospital officials say.
At least 12 other people were wounded in Sunday’s attacks, which appeared to have been coordinated, and took place hours before New Year’s Eve celebrations at midnight (noon ET).
Major events in Thailand’s second largest city, Chiang Mai, have also been canceled.
Chief government spokesman Yongyud Maiyalab warned people to be cautious but not to panic.
One of the blasts occurred at a mall near the Victory Monument in the center of the Thai capital, Reuters reported.
My friends and family are all fine.
More on this in the days to come.
Bangkok Pundit lists some groups that might be responsible. Number two is the leading candidate at this point.
1. Thaksin/TRT/anti-coup forces. Do they have the capability to stage coordinated attacks in Bangkok?
2. Terrorists in the southern border provinces. It would be a massive step up to stage an attack outside of the southern border provinces.
3. Security forces themselves. Just imagine the damage to the military if this was true and they were caught.
4. Some other group. Who? It doesn’t appear to be Al Qaeda or JI, well it would be a massive change of tactics if it was.
Here’s more on the south Thailand insurgency, in case you’re not familiar with it. You’ll be hearing a lot about it in the coming days, is my guess.