Thailand blasts target Phuket and Hua Hin tourist spots

 

A series of blasts across Thailand has targeted tourist towns, killing four people and injuring dozens.

In the resort town of Hua Hin, south of Bangkok, four bombs exploded over the last 24 hours. Several blasts also hit the island of Phuket, one Thailand's main tourist destinations, on Friday.

No group has said it carried out the attacks, but suspicion is likely to fall on separatist insurgents.
The timing is sensitive, as Friday is a holiday marking the queen's birthday.

 

Hua Hin is about 200km (125 miles) from Bangkok while the province of Phuket is in the far south. Both places, as well as Phang Nga are known for their scenic beaches. Surat Thani saw two explosions in front of police stations within the space of half an hour.

 

 

Police on Friday said they had detained some suspects but ruled out international terrorism and said that any links to the southern insurgency were unclear. A spokesman said "fire bombs" had caused some of the explosions.
The BBC's Jonathan Head in Bangkok says that if southern rebels are behind these attacks, it would mark a significant change of tactics. The 12-year conflict in the south has killed more than 6,000 people, but has never targeted tourists.
Security has been tightened in the tourist areas and at airports in southern Thailand.