Bombs Blamed On Ousted Leader’s Supporters

Worried about the damage that the New Year’s Eve explosions in the Thai capital will cause the tourist trade and business confidence, politicians and army chiefs went on television to deny that al-Qaeda sympathisers were behind the attacks that killed three and wounded thirty-eight, including two Britons.

The authorities blamed supporters of Thaksin Shinawatra, the former Prime Minister, who was overthrown by an army coup in September. They claim that Mr Thaksin, who lives in exile in London, and his wealthy backers are trying to prevent the Government from seizing back billions of dollars earned through allegedly corrupt business deals.

Officials claimed last night that the bombing campaign was intended to put pressure on the military to drop charges.

Army chiefs are desperate to allay concerns that the long-running Muslim insurgency in southern Thailand, which has cost nearly 2,000 lives, has spread to the capital.

Last night a Western diplomat in Bangkok told The Times: “The prospect of a Muslim bombing campaign in the capital would do untold harm to tourism and investment, much more than accusing a bunch of disgruntled sacked politicians of hiring people to plant bombs.” British holidaymakers were advised by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office not to travel around the city.

In a statement issued through his lawyer, Mr Thaksin denied involvement and said that military leaders were waging “an unfair smear campaign” as they prepared to file bogus terror charges against him. Four of his associates were detained by police for questioning last night.

The nine handmade bombs that exploded in central Bangkok contained ammonium nitrate fertiliser, nails and ball bearings and were triggered by digital watches. After the first wave of six bombs, city officials cancelled festivities and told police to order tourists back to their hotels and to close roads.

Paul Hewitt, 47, a retired airline steward from Horsham, West Sussex, told The Times that he was caught by a blast just as the first chimes of midnight rang out. “I had been out celebrating with friends and stopped at the Central World building to watch the countdown to new year when there was a blinding flash,” he said. “I was momentarily knocked unconscious and when I woke up there was blood everywhere. I thought I was going to lose my arm.”

Mr Hewitt still has part of the bomb’s metal casing embedded in his arm, but he insisted that the attack would not deter him from holidaying in Thailand. He was visited in hospital by Surayud Chulanont, Thailand’s acting Prime Minister.

Mr Surayud, who was installed by the Army, said that intelligence chiefs had cautioned that key figures linked to his predecessor would stage a bombing campaign.

“The people who carried out the bombings were ill-intentioned people who want [the attacks] to have political impact,” Mr Surayud said. “They want to create a scenario of a politically unstable Thailand.”

Police and soldiers set up 6,000 checkpoints across the city to reassure tourists that it was safe to venture out, despite the warnings by British, US and Australian embassies of possible further attacks.

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