Rookie Reporter's Baptism Of Fire At The Erawan Shrine

By Yasmin Abdul Manan Bernama's rookie reporter Yasmin Abdul Manan shares her story on how close she was to the Erawan Shrine before a bomb went off killing 20 people, including five Malaysians, and injuring 123 others. BANGKOK, Sept 9 (Bernama) -- It was probably a memorable start in journalism for me, as just three months after being recruited by the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) I was standing at the bloodied scene on Bangkok's famous landmark, the Erawan Shrine. It was by coincidence that Bernama decided to nominate me to join the ASEAN Familiarisation Trip to Bangkok from 16-22 Aug. I could still recall vividly the sight that greeted me when I landed in Bangkok, the mammoth Suvarnabhumi International Airport and the smiling faces of the staff manning the counters. I wanted to make the most out of this trip. The visit to the fabulous royal places, the alluring beaches, the historic ruins of Ayutthaya and the Buddhist Wats were on my wish list during my stay there. However, that was not to be. It ended up as a memorable experience for the wrong reasons. On the night of Aug 17, a day after arriving in Bangkok, me and my 20 ASEAN colleagues were on our way to a venue in the city for dinner when things started unraveling. As the van inched through the traffic on Ratchaprasong road, I noted a shrine crowded with people at a junction. The guide pointed out it was the Erawan Shrine, the sacred shrine of the four faced Lord Brahma (also known here as Than Tao Mahaprom) and a major attraction for both locals and tourists. THE UNFORGETTABLE THUNDERCLAP Just three minutes after passing the shrine, a loud thunder clap like sound reverberated in the van and the occupants even felt tremors going up the spine. Thinking that the deafening sound was just a sign of a heavy downpour underway, we just ignored it. Only upon reaching our dinner venue, we learnt that the 'thunder clap' was a bomb that had went off at the Ratchaprasong intersection. Despite of the sumptuous spread on the dinner table that night, I was in no mood to eat. My mind was preoccupied with what could really have happened there. An hour later, the journalistic instinct and curiosity got the better of me. I excused myself and started walking back towards the intersection that I had passed earlier. A reporter from Channel News Asia who was also curious to know what had happened joined me. We trotted cautiously as we neared the Ratchaprasong junction. I was aware that I was taking a big risk as more explosives could have been planted just anywhere on my route. I just thought to myself that I have to get a story for Bernama, though Bernama already has a correspondent in Bangkok. As I closed in, the blaring siren of the police vehicles and ambulance greeted me. AN UNSIGHTLY POOL OF BLOOD AND BODIES While the police had secured the crime scene, I was able to see the gruesome sight of maimed bodies placed on white sheets and blood splattered on the ground. A caustic smell from the explosion permeated the air, adding to the eerie feel that night. Some among the onlookers were seen crying or wailing as the police carried the remains away from the scene. Its was an emotionally disturbing sight. I was curious to know what had actually transpired. Did a bomb really go off or something else had happened. I managed to get hold of a tourist from Czech Republic, who only wanted to be known as Meck. He appeared pale and visibly shaken. Initially he was reluctant to speak, but after a while he relented. "I was at a nearby shopping mall (Central World) when I heard the loud blast. I rushed out immediately and saw people screaming and running hysterically on the street. I headed towards the scene to find out what was going on and saw fire and smoke from a distance," he explained. When he arrived at the scene, there were a few bodies on the road covered with blood. "Some had lost their limbs and there were blood everywhere. I felt so scared and helpless, and fearing of another explosion I moved away from the scene. I decided to stay a while to see what the police were doing. I learnt that they were busy looking for any other bomb planted in the area. It was getting late and I decided to call it a day and walked back to the hotel located about 500 metres away and filed in a story based on Meck's account. A GRIM ERAWAN SHRINE The next day, I continued with the host's itinerary that took me up to Phuket. Six days later, before returning home, my curiosity once again took me back to the Erawan Shrine. By then everything appeared back to normal with the place spruced up, the mangled seats and iron railings replaced, and the people busy giving offerings like how it was before the blast. According to a floral vendor at the shrine, Lee Siew Ming, 33, who has been operating there for the past six years, the incident had definitely left a scar not only on her but also on many Thais. Although she was not present at the site on the tragic night as she had closed shop earlier, she was aware of what the people had gone through on that fateful night where some of her fellow vendors too had perished. "I believe that although the number of people coming here has slumped tremendously for now, they will return as the incident fades away from their minds. For those who are here today is because they believe that the golden statue of the four-faced Hindu Lord Brahma will protect them. "I am not scared to continue my business here," said Siew Ming who resumed her business a few days after the blast. Many have been overwhelmed by the tragedy that unfolded at the Erawan Shrine and the testament to this is that many of those who placed their offerings there could still be seen shedding tears. I guess the Erawan Shrine and the night of Aug 17 would forever be etched in my memory. Despite all that happened, Thailand is a wonderful country to visit and the people are friendly. --BERNAMA