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Phuket City Explosion Sparks Evacuation: It's Probably Not Political, Says Phuket PPAO President
By Phuketwan Reporters Thursday, August 1, 2013
As Phuketwan predicted, security was stepped up immediately across Phuket with checks being made beneath cars as they entered Bangkok Hospital Phuket in Phuket City late today. Officials suspect today's blast may be connected to a dispute over ownership of mangrove parkland in Phuket City.
PHUKET: An explosion has gone off this afternoon on Phuket, triggering an evacuation of Phuket's key administrative buildings.
The blast badly damaged a minivan which was parked near to the rubbish bin that Phuket police believe possibly held an explosive device.
The side of the silver minivan was pockmarked with shrapnel-like indentations. Windows were blown out.
It's suspected that the blast, which went off about 2pm, may have been caused by a grenade in the bin in the carpark outside the Phuket Provincial Administative Organisation building in Phuket City.
Phuket's main admin offices, Phuket Provincial Hall, are nearby. Everyone in buildings around the carpark was evacuated amid concern there could be a second blast.
Phuket administrative organisation president Paiboon Upatising said today: ''It's probably not political. Most likely it's about a land dispute.''
Khun Paiboon had left his office in the PPAO building at the time of the blast.
Vice Governor Dr Sommai Preechasin later told journalists three vehicles had been damaged by the blast. Shrapnel had torn holes in pink awnings above the parked cars.
Nobody was injured.
Police were planning to work on the case around the clock, Dr Sommai said.
Phuket has never had previous problems, political or personal, in which explosive devices have been detonated in public spaces.
Phuket is generally considered to be a safe tourist destination. A security crackdown is likely in the wake of the blast.
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Comments
Comments have been disabled for this article.
Ed..I'm just wondering...a while back if I recall correctly,you guys were running some stories about an individual(s) who were quite upset with the newly appointed Khun Veera and his aggressive actions to clean up alot of the wrong doings going on in Phulet or the Kathu district which he oversees..and demands were made that K Veera should resign from his post by July 31.....any connection to this you think???
Posted by
sky
on
August 1, 2013 16:57
Editor Comment:
Khun Veera's office is in another part of Phuket. No connection likely.
Thankfully no one injured in this cowardly act. It's sad that more and more violent acts are being reported with increasing regularity...Perhaps time for visitors to take note and go to safer destinations!
Posted by
Richard
on
August 1, 2013 17:31
Editor Comment:
Are more and more violent acts being reported? Not really.
Whilst not an attack you carried a story last year (18 July) when the intent was there. A grenade was purchased for B4000 for use against a rival drugs gang, according to the man who was arrested. Fortunately on that occasion the police pre-empted what could have been a nasty incident.
Posted by
Mister Ree
on
August 1, 2013 17:35
Editor Comment:
There was also a grenade found outside a business in 2010, a business associated with one particular shade of politics. Just a friendly reminder. And I remember a man who was showing a grenade to friends and blew himself up in the process. Thankfully, Phuket has had no real causes for concern and if this is over property or personal, it will be a relief.
Mr Editor, whist you may disagree that violence is increasing, it is very disturbing to keep reading of new incidents just about every time one logs onto your website! You must agree surely it is disconcerting and will eventually impact on tourist numbers.
Posted by
Richard
on
August 1, 2013 17:56
Editor Comment:
Most tourists can tell the difference between a real threat to them and a makebelieve one. Many tourists come from places where there is far more everyday violence than there is on Phuket. We record what happens on Phuket in the same way as news organisation do everywhere. Holiday islands are no different.
Ed
you are delusional. It's clear the way this is heading in HKT.You will still be saying the average tourist joe is perfectly safe, as you are pulling down the steel shutters in your home in a few years time. The end is nigh. That's right, doomsaying. I remember being on Kamala Beach 20 years ago when there was only me, Diver, and buffalos. Nothing else. How can it get better?
Posted by
eddy
on
August 1, 2013 19:45
Editor Comment:
If you are seeking to compare the Phuket of 20 years ago with the Phuket of today, then it's not me who is delusional. It can't get better than it was. But it can get more crowded.
I am sure not just tourist, but expats and locals can tell the difference between real and make believe! Are you saying that most of what is reported is make believe? Ask the families and victims of the stabbings, muggings, shootings, hit and runs, that constantly occur if they think it is make believe! A somewhat insensitive comment Mr Editor!
Yes, of course there are more violent and dangerous places than Phuket but one wouldn't expect one to book a holiday there!
Posted by
Richard
on
August 1, 2013 20:14
Editor Comment:
I'm saying that what's reported is not out of the ordinary in any community of 800,000 people.To somehow connect this incident to the road toll is folly, Richard. There was one period a few years back when two expats were murdered in the space of a week, and the paranoia among other expats shot off the scale. Your paranoia is the problem, Richard,
ED, on what "facts" do you base your statement "Many tourists come from places where there is far more everyday violence than there is on Phuket," pure fabrication on your behalf, provide proof or be accused of falsely stating something to gain advantage.
Posted by
Phuket_IOC
on
August 1, 2013 20:54
Editor Comment:
Anyone who comes from any Australian capital, any city in Britain and many cities in the US will find the risks of violence on Phuket far lower and perfectly within an acceptable range of risks of the kind that people take every day of the week. It's called life, Phuket_IOC. Most of us are not coiled in the foetal position afraid that we will die in our sleep before enjoying the next breakfast. It's only you. There is no advantage to us in representing Phuket honestly. Creating needless fear and mayhem might attract a few more imaginative interpreters like you, But that's frightening enough, thanks. The world doesn't need any more fearmongers.
I am interested to read more about how this entire ordeal could be connected to the stated dispute over Phuket City's mangrove parkland. Tried briefly looking through online and did not come across any possible theories.
On a side note, there are certainly several aspects Phuket as a whole needs to improve on, but I do wish sometimes all the fear mongering doomsayers could actually take some time to educate themselves with actual facts and statistics, (e.g. that despite the island's rapidly rising population, major crimes are actually shown to have declined more than 25% in a year-on-year comparison, etc).
Posted by
J
on
August 1, 2013 22:49
"checks being made beneath cars as they entered Bangkok Hospital Phuket"
This must be the biggest waste of time ever. This is not some 1970's film where a bomb is strapped under a car with a visible timer.
Bombs by terrorists resemble NOTHING like this. Bombs are rigged to the petrol tank which is normally done by accessing and drilling through the floor of the car or via the boot (neither are ever checked) Just like the bombs in the southern provinces.
Posted by
Tbs
on
August 1, 2013 23:24
Maybe bombing move from southern provinces to Phuket or Pattaya,High season soon.
A don`t hope that happens.
Posted by
Norway
on
August 2, 2013 09:34
Editor Comment:
There has never been any sign of the turbulence in the South coming to Phuket, Pattaya or any other international tourist destination in Thailand. There have been incidents in Had Yai, but that's it. The people in the Deep South appear to realise how costly that would be for their cause. It's unlikely to happen, for that reason. The Muslim community on Phuket would be among the first people to sound the alarm.
@TBS:
My thoughts exactly! These checks are ridiculous. You think nobody ever told them? And most of the time, the guy isn't even looking into his mirror...
Posted by
Chris
on
August 2, 2013 10:02
Speculating about what this bombing was or was not connected with doesn't seem to make much sense to me.
We simply don't know. Those who belittle the dangers are just like the doomsayers.
All I can say is that bomb explosions in Phuket are neither going to help the local economy nor are they going to make people feel more secure.
Posted by
ThaiMike
on
August 2, 2013 11:45
Editor Comment:
''Those who belittle the dangers are just like the doomsayers.'' Actually they're diametrical opposites, ThaiMike, quite different in every way.
And those who explain why there's no cause for serious alarm are, of course, responsible realists.
(moderated)
Posted by
Phuket_IOC
on
August 2, 2013 12:28
Editor Comment:
If you continue to think like that, Phuket_IOC, there's no point in encouraging me. But just to end your inability to see what's in front of your nose, these are all from your local newspapers:
July 31: A man has been charged after he allegedly impersonated a police officer at a Perth hotel and assaulted an escort.
July 31: A Perth jury has found a woman guilty of deliberately setting fire to another woman.
July 31: Police in Perth have charged a 56-year-old man with the wilful murder of his wife six years ago.
July 30: An elderly taxi driver who indecently assaulted a disabled passenger has avoided jail.
July 30: Police are searching for two men who stole a large sum of money from an elderly couple in Swan View after carrying out repairs to their home.
July 30: Police are searching for a gang responsible for an attack on four tourists in the city. The gang attacked two couples near the Cultural Centre on James Street last night.
July 28: The level of alleged gang rapes, sexual assaults, and sexual harassment of staff and detainees in detention centres has jumped dramatically as the number of asylum seekers arriving in Australia swells to a 10-year high.
July 23: The two police officers accused of assaulting an Aboriginal man by repeatedly tasering him in a Perth lock-up will not go on trial until January next year.
Perth doesn't sound a pleasant place, does it? . Not much point in wasting my time trolling, is there?
The terrorists why should not they get to the major tourist sites in Thailand ?, PLEASE do not forget Bali a few years back. And we can only hope att they stay far away from Phuket,Pattaya etc etc.
Posted by
Norway
on
August 2, 2013 12:45
Editor Comment:
Because, Norway, they realise that international tourists are not their enemies and that to carry their fight to Phuket or Pattaya or any tourist destination would bring a huge backlash and ultimately cost them dearly. There is no link between the Bali bombers and what's happening in Thailand's Deep South.
Sorry Editor, are you a muslim? Every international tourists are THE most enemies (Terrorist) about Quran.The same in Norway We have BIG problem whit this people.
When you move to a new country you must respect the Love in this country.
Posted by
Norway
on
August 2, 2013 15:14
Editor Comment:
I'm a pacifist, Norway. You should try it some time. What it requires is abandoning prejudices based on ignorance and learning to live with others. Perhaps you should suggest that Norway sends a delegation to Phuket to learn how people from different backgrounds live contentedly together? Monocultures can be overly suspicious and insensitive to people from other backgrounds. You seem to have that problem.
Editor,
Sorry but a married by lady from Kuala Lumpur and this family are Muslim but some in the family have a BIG problem whit me,and they have a fame lie in Phuket and a don`t file very safe here in Phuket and a am Christian.
Posted by
Norway
on
August 2, 2013 20:56
Editor Comment:
Sorry to hear about your personal issues but Phuket is safer than most places in the world. As you know, terrorism knows no boundaries. It only takes one madman with a gun, or with a bomb. Here in Phuket, religion is seldom a topic of conversation. We hope it stays a peaceful place.
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Ed..I'm just wondering...a while back if I recall correctly,you guys were running some stories about an individual(s) who were quite upset with the newly appointed Khun Veera and his aggressive actions to clean up alot of the wrong doings going on in Phulet or the Kathu district which he oversees..and demands were made that K Veera should resign from his post by July 31.....any connection to this you think???
Posted by sky on August 1, 2013 16:57
Editor Comment:
Khun Veera's office is in another part of Phuket. No connection likely.