Six ‘ping pong bombs’ rock Bangkok during ASEAN Summit

At least six small bombs exploded across Bangkok on Friday, rattling the Thai capital as it hosted a regional summit attended by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

Four persons were wounded, but the summit was not disrupted.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha blamed the bombs on “ill-intended people inciting violence” to “destroy peace and the country’s image”, while top Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) diplomats and their US and Chinese counterparts are in town.

Small devices — believed to be so-called “ping pong bombs” around the size of a table tennis ball — exploded at several locations across the city, all far from the summit venue.

Urging the public not to panic, Prayut said security had been tightened across the capital.

The blasts appeared to be symbolic attacks aimed at embarrassing the government during the major summit but not designed to cause mass casualties.

Thailand, which has a grim history of political violence, remains deeply divided after a controversial March election returned the junta to power as a civilian government.

“Three people received slight injuries from shrapnel,” said Renu Suesattaya, director of Suanluang district where the first bombs were reported.

“I received a report that they are ‘ping pong bombs’ hidden in bushes by the road.”

The bombings took place just before a keynote speech by America’s top diplomat Pompeo, in which he praised Thailand for rejoining the “democratic fold” after five years of outright junta rule.

Thailand’s government urged the media to avoid speculation on the motive for the bombings.

“We do not know yet how many people are involved,” deputy prime minister Prawit Wongsuwon told reporters.

The blasts come weeks after former junta leader Prayut was inaugurated as a civilian prime minister, sparking outcry among many pro-democracy supporters.