The 2006 Bangkok bombings occurred on 31 December 2006 and 1 January 2007, during New Year's Eve festivities in Bangkok, Thailand. Four explosions went off almost simultaneously in different parts of the city at around 18:00 local time (11:00 UTC), followed by several more explosions within the next 90 minutes. Two explosions also occurred after midnight. In total, eight explosions were reported during the night.
As of 1 January 2007, three people were confirmed dead and more than 38 injured. One additional bomb exploded inside a cinema, but went unreported until the next day due to fears of negative publicity. The next morning, a bomb exploded in a mosque in Chiang Mai, the largest city in northern Thailand. 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.
Chiang Mai police claimed the Chiang Mai mosque's janitor confessed to making that bomb, and a man was arrested in Bangkok for carrying an explosive device. However, no one has ever claimed responsibility for the Bangkok bombings. Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont blamed the "old power clique" as the group responsible for the bombings, referring to the deposed government of Thaksin Shinawatra as well as all those who had lost political power due to the 2006 military coup. Both the Thai Rak Thai party and deposed Premier Thaksin Shinawatra denied involvement. Surayud later backtracked and admitted that his claim that Thaksin-allies were responsible "was just an intelligence analysis" and was based on no solid evidence or information.
The initials "IRK" were found written in marker in four places at three bomb sites. The IRK is an Afghanistan-trained urban guerrilla terrorism unit. Interior Minister Aree Wong-araya shrugged off suggestions that those responsible were Muslim terrorists.The Nation, Militants not seen as likely culprits , 2 January 2007 A meeting between Premier Surayud Chulanont and various security and intelligence agencies on the evening of 31 December failed to officially identify those for the attacks.
On 1 January, Surayud announced that although the bombs had similar designs to those used by insurgents in Thailand's Muslim-dominated Southern provinces, closer inspection indicated no link, saying "I don't think they would come here as they could get lost in Bangkok." Police arrested more than a dozen individuals, including several military officers, on suspicion of being involved in the bombings. Junta-leader General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, himself a Muslim, claimed all of the military officers were innocent.
A police investigation later determined that southern separatists were actually behind the bombings. Detonation circuits and other materials used to make the bombs were identical to those used by the Islamic insurgents.Bangkok Post, 'Separatists' behind city bombs, 19 March 2007 However, the junta downplayed the role of the southern separatists, claiming they had been hired by people connected to the political turmoil in Bangkok.Bangkok Post, Southern extremists learning from bin Laden, 22 March 2007
Bombings
Six explosive charges went off almost simultaneously in the early evening in Bangkok, killing three and injuring 38, as Thais were about to start celebrating New Year's Eve. Victory Monument. Seventeen people were injured and two died of their injuries. One foreigner, a Hungarian, was among the injured. The bomb had been placed in a bus-stop shelter and went off at around 18:00, ripping through the bus stops, shattering windows at a nearby restaurants and sending debris in all directions. A second blast went off nearby shortly afterwards. Khlong Toei, near Na Ranong intersection. A bomb hidden in a litter bin close to 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 his injuries. The blast caused a secondary explosion of several propane gas cylinders that were standing nearby. Saphan Khwai intersection, Phaya Thai District. A bomb went off at a police box, injuring two people. Witnesses claimed to have seen a man drop a hand grenade from a pedestrian bridge onto the police box. However, residue of C-4 and TNT explosives were found at the scene. Seacon Square, Prawet District. An unexploded bomb was discovered in a trash bin near a gold shop on the first floor of the shopping mall. It was removed to the car park, where it later exploded, creating panic but causing no injuries. Police ordered all shoppers to evacuate the mall, one of Bangkok's largest, and all shops were closed. Khae Rai intersection, Mueang district, Nonthaburi Province (). Another police box was bombed, but no injuries were reported. Sukhumvit Soi 62. A third police box was bombed at the entrance of the soi, but no injuries were reported. Major Cineplex Ratchayothin, Phahonyothin Road, Lat Yao, Chatuchak. A security guard found a suspicious black bag left unattended in a fast food outlet and placed it in a back room. Sometime afterwards, the bomb exploded, causing a blackout in the cineplex's retail area. There were no injuries. The cineplex owner did not alerted Phahonyothin police until later on 1 January, fearing negative publicity.
Because of the attacks, the large New Year's celebrations at CentralWorld and Sanam Luang were cancelled. Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayothin led a New Year "countdown" more than three hours early at the CentralWorld party, then told everyone to return home.
Two more bombs exploded shortly after midnight, both near CentralWorld. Those injured included two Thais and six tourists: two English, one Irish, and three Serbs. Best Sea Foods restaurant near Khlong Saen Saeb's Pratunam Pier and CentralWorld. Three foreign tourists and two Thais dining at the restaurant were injured. One foreigner had a leg blown off by the blast. A public telephone booth at the pedestrian bridge linking CentralWorld and Gaysorn shopping malls. Several foreign tourists were injured. Police found three more unexploded bombs in the area.
Police investigated several other incidents: A suspected bomb was found at Buddy Beer, a bar on Khaosan Road, about half an hour after midnight. Tourists had already been ordered to leave the area. All Khaosan Road bars and shops were closed, and the street was barricaded and guarded by armed forces. However, the package was found not to be a bomb. About 01:00 police disabled a bomb at the Suan Lum Night Bazaar before it could explode.
Casualties + Deaths by nationalityCountryDeathsInjured 3 30 3 2 2 1Total 3 38
The wave of bombings claimed the lives of three people, all Thai nationals. Songkran Kanchana, 36, and Ekkachai Ruangpoom, 26, were both fatally injured at the Victory Monument bus stop, while Suvichai Nak-iam, 61, was killed in the Khlong Toei bombing.
A total of 38 people were injured, including eight foreigners: two British, three Hungarians, two Serbs, and an American.
Location Deaths InjuriesVictory Monument2 Thai15 (1 Hungarian)Khlong Toei1 Thai6Saphan Khwai02Seacon Square00Khae Rai Intersection () 00Sukhumvit Soi 6200CentralWorld (seafood restaurant)02 Thais3 foreignersCentralWorld (pedestrian flyover)06 foreignersTotal3~38
Forensic evidence
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. Other military ordnance sources claimed the bombs were all ammonium nitrate fuel oil (ANFO)/M4 bombs. This would make the bombs the same type as had been found in a car outside Thaksin Shinawatra's residence in August 2006.
The police were criticised for barring Central Institute of Forensic Science acting director Pornthip Rojanasunand from collecting evidence at a bombing site in Pratunam. Pornthip called the police unprofessional because they mainly focused on the type of bomb that was used, rather than the identity of the bombers, and let city cleaners sweep up the site before the collection of evidence was completed.
Prime Minister Surayud ruled out involvement of Southern insurgents. He claimed that forensic reports showed that the bombs were assembled "to look like those used by the Southern insurgents" but that detailed examination of the explosions and modus operandi indicated no link.
Responsibility
Forewarning Authorities had earlier warned of an escalation of the South Thailand insurgency during the New Year holiday.
According to the Thai-language daily Thai Rath, Thai Military Intelligence and the Special Branch received reports that there would be bombs in up to 30 locations in Bangkok and surrounding areas, especially popular shopping malls such as Siam Paragon, The Mall Bang Kapi, and Seacon Square.
Urban guerrillas No one ever claimed responsibility for the bombings, and both the Thai Rak Thai Party and deposed Premier Thaksin Shinawatra insisted they were innocent. In the absence of concrete public evidence, theories abounded about those most likely behind the attacks.
The initials "IRK" were found written in four places at three bomb sites: a pillar near a bus stop at Victory Monument, a phone booth near Gaysorn shopping mall opposite CentralWorld, a phone booth near Pratunam Pier, and a phone booth near BigC Ratchadamri. The IRK is an Afghanistan-trained urban guerrilla terrorism unit. However, Interior Minister Aree Wong-araya shrugged off suggestions that those responsible were foreign militants. Senior junta leadership agreed that Muslim terrorists were not involved, and that the initials were meant to implicate the IRK. Police claimed the IRK graffiti was done by teenage gangs to frighten the public.
Junta-leader Sonthi Boonyaratglin claimed he was "more than 100% certain" that the bombings were not perpetrated by southern insurgents and that even in the south, it was "no longer easy to perpetrate attacks". He said the bombings were done by people very well acquainted with the city, and added that even his own soldiers sometimes got lost in Bangkok. He insisted that it was "impossible" that the bombings had been prepared months in advance.
Experts from the Department of Special Investigation noted the technique used was similar to that in the bombing of a Bangkok Bank branch in Amphoe Betong, Yala Province in 2006, where Casio digital watches were used as timers. Stainless steel back covers of 200 and 201 series Casio watches were found at the Bangkok bomb sites.
"Old power clique"
Members of the ruling junta attributed the bombings to various groups. The day after the bombings, government security sources blamed the "old power clique," a presumed reference to members of the government of deposed Premier Thaksin Shinawatra. Other security sources suggested the bombings might provide a reason for the junta to seize Thaksin's sizeable personal assets. The Thai Rak Thai party denied involvement and warned the junta not to blame them without facts.
Anti-Thaksin newspaper editor Sondhi Limthongkul said he believed the bombings were conducted by "undercurrents", supporters of the deposed government of Thaksin Shinawatra, who wanted to discredit the junta. He gave no evidence.
A meeting between Premier Surayud Chulanont and various security and intelligence agencies late on the night of 31 December failed to identify anyone as behind the attacks.