BOMB HORROR
Eight dead in grenade blast
- Published: 2/02/2009 at 12:00 AM
- Newspaper section: News
Eight revellers are dead and more than 100 injured after a hand grenade was thrown into the crowd at a temple fair in the northeastern province of Nong Bua Lam Phu.
The blast occurred at 11.30pm on Saturday when a grenade was hurled into a crowd dancing at a Mor Lam Sing folk music concert at Wat Sirimongkol in Si Bun Ruang district.
Uthen Boonmee, 20, from tambon Non Sa-ad, was arrested yesterday. Police said he confessed to throwing an M26 grenade into the crowd because he was angry at a group of teenagers who assaulted his uncle.
"The man said he had bought the bomb for 500 baht from Loei province," Nong Bua Lam Phu governor Athikom Suwanapong said.
Witnesses said several brawls had broken out in front of the stage before the blast.
The grenade exploded just 25 metres from the stage, district police chief Pol Col Thammajak Kongmongkol said.
The injured were rushed to nearby hospitals where eight were reported to have died. Most of the injured were discharged yesterday, although 48 are still in hospital.
Mr Athikom said security had been beefed up at temple fairs to prevent outbreaks of violence, but he would call a meeting of authorities today in a bid to further improve security.
