A series of possibly coordinated blasts went off in tourist areas of Thailand on Thursday night and Friday morning, killing at least three people and injuring an unknown number of others, including foreign tourists. Thai authorities have urged calm and say terrorism isn't behind the attacks. "The bombs are an attempt to create chaos and confusion," Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha told reporters. "We should not make people panic more." While it is too soon to say who is responsible, said Royal Thai Police official Col. Krisana Patanacharoen, "we are sure that it is not linked to terrorism."
Deputy Police spokesman Maj. Gen. Piyapan Pingmuang said at a news conference on Friday that "these incidents are different from the usual terrorism acts, they are more local sabotage on certain locations and provinces," reiterating, "There is no evidence that this is linked to international terrorism." The first two blasts were outside a bar in Hua Hin, then on Friday morning, twin bombs hit Surat Thani, the resort island Phuket, and Hua Hin a second time.
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