Friday, 23 April 2010
Several grenade blasts between pro- and anti-government protesters in Bangkok have killed three and injured more than 70 people overnight.
The blasts occurred in the Silom Road commercial district just after nightfall where pro-government demonstrators had gathered to show their opposition to the Red Shirt protests.
The violence between the two political factions escalated after the five explosions, caused by M79 grenades, with both sides hurling bottles, rocks and firecrackers at each other for more than four hours.
Strangely, the 1500 riot police stationed along Silom Road did nothing to stop the fighting, instead taking shelter in building entrances and under highway overpasses, according to the Globe and Mail.
Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said that three people were killed while 75 others, including an Australian, were wounded.
The government has said the grenades were fired from the Red Shirt encampment and noted that the M79 grenade launchers had been used before by the Red Shirt demonstrators earlier this month.
However, Red Shirt leaders have denied responsibility for the attack, saying their protest was peaceful.
But whether the explosions came from the pro- or anti- government protesters, the violence, which has gained widespread international attention, has already hampered travel to the capital.
A Tourism Authority of Thailand spokesman told e-Travel Blackboard this morning that a number of MICE groups from Australia had already cancelled their trips to Thailand.
He said around 25 percent of MICE bookings had been lost, including bookings from Orient Express, Access Advance and Stella Travel Group, which was a group of 720 people.
The spokesman added that forward bookings have also “really slowed down.”
DFAT has also increased its travel advisory rating for Thailand, up from ‘high degree of caution’ to ‘reconsider your need to travel’.
No comments:
Post a Comment