Twin bombs exploded in the upscale resort of Hua Hin late on Thursday, killing one woman and wounding more than 20 others. They were followed by two more on Friday morning that killed another person.
A further two blasts struck on Friday in the popular tourist town of Phuket, while two more bombs were reported in the southern provinces of Trang and Surat Thani, in each of which one person was killed.
“The police spokesperson is saying there is currently no evidence for any link between these bombs,” said Al Jazeera’s Pailin Wedel, reporting from Bangkok.
“Right now they are also sticking to the line that they still do not have enough evidence that there are any links to outside terrorism, southern insurgency or anything that may be linked to the current political situation.”
Last week, Thailand voted to accept a military-backed constitution despite claims by opponents that it will entrench the military’s power and deepen divisions.Prayut Chan-O-Cha, the prime minister, called for calm and said he did not know who was behind the attacks.
“The bombs are an attempt to create chaos and confusion,” he said in a conversation with reporters. “We should not make people panic more.”“Why the bombs occurred as our country is heading towards stability, a better economy and tourism – and who did it – you have to find out for me.”
“I think the timing is striking here,” said Thitinan Ponsudhirak who is the director of Institute for Securityand International Studies in Thailand’s Chulalongkorn University.
“Today is the 84th anniversary of her majesty’s birthday. We had the referendum last Sunday, so it seems clear to me that this is a coordinated round of bomb attacks,”he told Al Jazeera.
“I think this has to do with domestic politics, it has something to do with anti-regime sentiments, anti-regime perpetrators who want to send a message that they don’t like the outcome of the referendum.”
The two bombs that went off in Hua Hin on Thursday evening were hidden in potted plants and went off within 30 minutes of each other in the bar district of thepopular beach town.
While small bombings are common in Thailand during periods of heightened political tension, there have been few such incidents in the past year and it is rare for touristic areas to be targeted.
Hua Hin is home to the summer palace of Thailand’s royal family and the blast came on the eve of Queen Sirikit’s 84th birthday and just before the first anniversary of a Bangkok shrine bombing that killed 20.Authorities were searching for leads on the attackers and a motive behind the latest blasts.
According to staff at local hospitals, German, Italian, Dutch and Austrian nationals were among the wounded.
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