Written by Michael Thervil
Over the weekend (12/13/2024), a retaliation bombing took place in the northern Thailand town of Umphang in the Tak province which lies on the border of Myanmar. The retaliation bombing resulted in the deaths of two people at the scene of the bombing with a third victim being pronounced dead at a nearby hospital. This retaliatory bombing also left 48 people injured. According to reports there were roughly 8,000 to 9,000 people attending the “Ramwong” folk dance at a Red Cross fair, which is a local music festival.
With conflicting reports ranging from an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) [homemade bomb] being thrown into the crowd, to a grenade being utilized in the attack, there’s no sure way to tell exactly what kind of explosive device was used. With two suspects currently being held by the police with no charges currently levied against them, the Thai Police stated that no action will be taken until their investigation into this matter is complete.
Among the two people arrested, it was confirmed by Thai Police that they were members of the Karen National Union (KNU), which is an ethnic minority rebel group that has fought against the Junta troops in Myawaddy. It should be noted that the KNU has seized three military bases. This information leads to the credible skepticism that a grenade could have possibly been used during this “bombing”.
However, it was found through their preliminary investigation that an IED was deployed on the scene. Prior to the bombing, it was reported that there was a fight that broke out between them and another group of men. Who the other group of men that they clashed with are currently unknown. Local speculation is that the clash that led to the bombing likely involved another Thai gang.
Comentarios