Asia-Pacific

Blast hits central Bangkok, 1 injured

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-08-27 13:14

BANGKOK - A security guard was seriously injured when a bomb went off near a duty-free shop in central Bangkok late Thursday night, according to local media Friday.

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The blast occurred at around 11:00 pm local time near the King Power complex on the Soi Rang Nam, the Mathichon online quoted police officer at Bangkok's Payathai district as saying. A security guard for the shop was hit in the head and sent to a hospital nearby.

Bangkok Police Chief Santhan Chayanont who rushed to inspect the scene after the bombing said that preliminary investigation shows that it is not a remote-controlled bomb, but it depends on further investigation.

"The attacker wants to create chaos and does not intend to kill people," the police chief said.

The bombing happened just two days before Bangkok Council elections which will be held on Sunday.

Reports said that police has taken a suspect aged just over 20 years for questioning.

It is the second blast in less a month that happened near the duty-free shop. On July 30, a late night explosion left one garbage picker injured.