Bombs found at three locations in Bangkok, dismantled

BANGKOK, Dec 16 -- Bombs were found at three locations in eastern Bangkok early Friday, but bomb squads successfully defused all of the devices.

The three sites were Bangkok Banks Sukhumvit 77 branch in Prawet district at Soi Lat Krabang 20; Suvarnabhumi market or Soi Lat Krabang 13; and beneath the Motorway in the Udomsuk area near Soi Kanchanapisek 39.

The discovery of the bombs came with the 3am arrest of a 44-year-old suspect who confessed that he placed the bomb at the traffic island in front of the Government Lottery Office earlier this month.

The suspect told police that he set bombs at three different locations. Accordingly bomb squads deactivated the explosives.

At the first location, police found a homemade bomb 5 inches by 10 inches in a PVC tube wrapped with black plastic tape. The bomb was to be detonated by remote control.

At the second location, three explosive devices were inside dish detergent plastic bottle tied with two PVC pipes with an electrical circuit connected to three clocks. The devices were in a bush under the bridge, opposite Suvarnabhumi market.

The third location was at the Motorway at Soi Kanchanapisek 39. Police found two bombs, both inside PVC pipes connected with a clock set to detonate at 12.55 hours.

National police chief Pol Gen Prewpan Dhamapong has inspected the three locations.

Police believed that the bombs were intended to cause a disturbance and expected them to be the work of the same group which placed a bomb in front of the Government Lottery Office on Dec 6.

The suspect was Rayong resident who joined with three or four others. He told police that the group planned to place bombs at eight locations but completed the task in only three places.

Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubumrung was scheduled to hold a press conference at Metropolitan Police Headquarters at 9.30am.

On Dec 6, a homemade bomb was found in an open black bag placed on a traffic island in front of the Govern! ment Lot tery Office on Rajdamnoen Avenue. The bomb squad inspected the device and found that the circuit was not complete and could not function, but it was believed to be placed to cause a disturbance and unsettle the public.

On Dec 14, a suspicious object was found in the undergrowth of unused land at Bangkok's Soi Lat Phrao 80, but was a decoy, unable to function as a bomb. (MCOT online news)