7 injured by TV station blasts in Bangkok

Seven people were injured in a series of explosions at TV stations in the Thai capital of Bangkok on Saturday night.

The violence appears to be part of anti-government demonstrations. Bangkok police say a grenade was launched from the road in front of the army-run Channel 5 TV station at around 6:30 pm local time. A protective net stopped the device, which exploded on the ground 50-meters from the station entrance. Two soldiers guarding the TV station and 2 pedestrians were injured by the blast.

Three hours earlier, one guard and two soldiers were injured when an explosive shell landed on the guard box at NBT, the government-run TV station.

The latest violence occurred after the Supreme Court decided in February to seize former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s illegally obtained assets. Following the court ruling, anti-government Thakshin supporters have staged weekly rallies and demonstrations.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva’s cabinet recently introduced an Internal Security act and set up checkpoints to counter anti-government demonstrations. However, political tension in Thailand continues to rise.

Source: Media Network, NHK World