Thailand’s defense minister Prawit Wongsuwong said tonight that bombers who killed at least 12 people at a shrine in central Bangkok late Monday had targeted “foreigners” to try to damage the vital tourist industry.
“It was a TNT bomb… the people who did it targeted foreigners and to damage tourism and the economy,” said Prawit.
The bomb, which exploded around 7pm during rush hour traffic, has killed at least 12 people and injured at least 80. Those numbers are rising and some outlets are reporting as many as 27 killed.
“There were a few tourists whose legs were bleeding. I saw some smoke. When I arrived at the intersection I realized that it must be a bomb. There were some pieces of flesh and brain on the road. But the bodies are mainly inside the shrine,” said Finnish national Jussi Pajala who arrived on the scene shortly after the explosions.
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Witness: Bodies were mainly inside Erawan Shrine
Photo: Thai rescue workers carry an injured person (R) after a bomb exploded outside a religious shrine in central Bangkok late on August 17, 2015. AFP / Pornchai Kittiwongsakul
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