'Unsightly' Scene, Says Witness Of Bangkok Bomb Blast

From Yasmin Abdul Manan BANGKOK, Aug 18 (Bernama) -- It was supposed to be a busy Monday night at the Ratchaprasong intersection, but it turned grim almost in an instant when a deadly explosive blasted at the famous tourist area, killing 27 people (latest figure from Reuters), including two Malaysians, and injuring dozens more, on Monday. A tourist from Czech Republic, who only wanted to be known as Meck, who witnessed the incident described the scene of the blast as unsightly as there were dead bodies scattered on the road "I was at a nearby shopping mall when I heard the blast, I rushed out immediately and people were screaming and running hysterically. "I ran to the scene to find out what was going on and while on the way there I could see fire and smoke from a distance," he said to reporters here. The explosion at 7 pm Monday (8 pm Malaysian time) occurred at the Ratchaprasong intersection, near the Erawan Shrine and Bangkok's colourful and high-end shopping area. The blast also damaged several cars and motorcycles. It was also reported that street vendors along the road were believed to be among the victims of the explosion. Meck, who have never witnessed an explosion before, said when he arrived at the scene, there were a few victims covered with blood on the ground. "The people on the ground were all over the place with some of them having lost most of their body parts and there was blood everywhere, I was so scared to actually be at the place as I was afraid of another explosion, so I left. "It is very painful and sad to have to witness this type of incident. My prayers are with the families of the deceased, " he added. The nearby Siam Centre and Siam Paragon malls closed early, at 9.30pm Monday following the explosion. A journalist from Sin Chew, Soh Li Nah, who is in Bangkok for a media trip, said she heard a loud explosion and tremors were felt when she was on her way for dinner to a nearby hotel. "We were all in a van and we thought it was a loud thunder, so we just ignored the sound. "Only later we found out about the blast. I never expect to experience this, especially on my first visit here in Bangkok," she said to Bernama here. Ratchaprasong intersection in central Bangkok was also the venue of the protest by the Red Shirt in 2010 and the People Democratic Reform Committee led by Suthep Thuaksuban in 2014 that eventually led to a military coup and removal of ex-premier Yingluck Shinawatra. Despite the bombing occurring not far from the Chitlom train station, the Bangkok Train Service, or popularly known skytrain, remained in operation. --BERNAMA