City Hall has set up monitoring centre following small bomb blasts and other incidents at 11 locations across Bangkok on Friday, but no areas have been declared special security zones.
Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang said the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration was closely monitoring and evaluating the situation.
Explosions, loud bangs and suspicious items were reported at 11 locations across Bangkok, including Soi 57 on Rama IX Road, an area beneath the Chong Nonsi BTS station, at the King Power MahaNakhon tower near the same BTS station, and at the Government Complex on Chaeng Watthana Road.
A suspicious object was found near the Sala Daeng BTS station at 12.08pm, just one station away from Chong Nonsi, where there were explosions earlier.
There were also fires in the Pratunam area — at DD House Building on Phetchaburi Soi 19, the Hope V-Line Building, Intra Hotel and the Baiyoke Tower.
Pol Gen Aswin said the BMA had set up a centre to closely monitor the situation, with himself in charge. It would work around the clock and keep the public informed.
He has assigned the city’s traffic and transport department to inspect and link signals from CCTVs at all locations, so officials can track developments in real time.
The Bangkok governor confirmed all CCTVs in areas where explosions occurred were functioning.
He said he had also asked directors of all 50 district offices to keep a close watch for people acting suspiciously and for suspicious objects. He also asked for cooperation from the public, as eyes and ears for the authorities. People should alert the nearest district office or call the 191 hotline immediately if they spot anything suspicious.
Somkiart Nonthakaew, director of the BMA’s disaster prevention and mitigation department, said all fire stations and crews had been put on full alert.
The Erawan emergency centre reported that three women and one man were injured by the explosions. They were being treated at hospitals. The three women were injured by explosions on Rama IX Road and the man was hurt at the Chong Nonsi BTS station.
Internal Security Operations Command spokesman Maj Gen Thanathip Sawangsaeng said Isoc had not declared any areas as special control zones under Section 15 of the Internal Security Act.
False information had circulated online that authorities declared the Ratchaprasong intersection, Siam Square, Victory Monument, Democracy Monument, all subway and skytrain stations, Hua Lamphong and all bus terminals special control zones, the Isoc spokesman said.
“Members of the public should not panic. If you spot anyone acting suspiciously or any suspicious objects, please urgently call hotline 1374,” he said.
