50 injured in explosion inside Government House

A grenade was launched into the Government House compound minutes late Saturday night, injuring 50 people.

The explosion occurred at 11:50 pm Saturday when the protesters were preparing to rest and leaders of the People's Alliance for the Democracy were about to stop the activities on the stage.

The bomb fell on the roof of a tent on the left side of the stage and fell onto the ground and exploded.

Kittichai Saisa-ard, chief of PAD guards, said 47 protesters were sent to the Ramathibodi Hospital, and four of them were severely injured. He said two other protesters were sent to Phra Mongkut Hospital and another to Vajira Hospital.

The bomb, believed by the PAD to be an M79 grenade, exploded just 200 metres away from the PAD's main stage inside the Government House. It was fired outside the rally ground from a similar direction of the recent attack at the site.

Suriyasai Katasila said guards saw a flash from the direction of the Benjamabophit Hospital so it was believed the grenade was launched from the direction.

PAD guards checked and concluded that the assailant fired the grenade from a building inside the Rajamangala Technology University.

Most of the injured were hit by shrapnel at their face and eyes. Most are women.

Four of the injured remained in the intensive care unit.

They were identified as Kanchana Muennoo, 27, Jitra Jintanatham, 57, Suphana, surname unknown and Pienjai, surname unknown. The four are women. Kanchana's left lung was torn by the bomb shrapnel and doctors had to resuscitate her.

A 60-year-old woman from Kanchanaburi recounted that she was sleeping and woken up with the explosion.

She saw her friends bleeding on their limps.

"The guards ordered us to lie low and I tried to crawl to safety. But I am not afraid. If it's not my time, I'll be all right," she added.

Two explosions were heard at ASTV station on Phra Arthit Road at 12:15 am Sunday morning, just around 20 minutes after the attack at Government House.

Witnesses also heard the gunfire lasting about 10 minutes. No injury was reported.

Later on at 3:55 am, a bomb exploded near a bunker made of tyres at the Don Mueang Airport.

The explosion occurred at the main entrance to the passenger terminal.

Before the explosion occurred, about 7 gunshots were heard from the direction of a warehouse deeper inside the airport compound.

No one was injured in the explosion.

The explosion prompted the PAD to resume its activities on the stage after the activities were ended at 2 am.