Three killed and dozens injured by bomb at Thai festival
At least three people have been killed and dozens injured after an explosive device was thrown into a crowd during a festival in Thailand.
The attack occurred just before midnight local time on Friday at the annual Red Cross Doi Loyfa fair in Umphang, a district in the northern Tak province.
According to Thai police, two suspects are in custody, but no charges have been filed, as reported by the Associated Press and local media.
Authorities confirmed that at least 48 people were injured in the incident, with six in critical condition. Police received the first alert at 11:30 p.m. local time (4:30 p.m. GMT) on Friday.
In a statement, the Umphang rescue team said the explosive landed near the foot of an outdoor stage where people had been dancing. Some of the injured were transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Several reports suggest the blast was caused by an improvised explosive device (IED).
Footage said to be from the scene, posted on social media, shows scenes of panic as emergency workers and festivalgoers tend to the wounded.
One video appears to show at least two people lying in close proximity being given CPR, as crowds rush around them in a state of confusion.
The camera then pans to a person cutting the trousers off a man to reveal a wound on his leg pouring out blood.
Images taken in the aftermath, shared by the rescue team, show a cordon in place around an area strewn with rubbish and strung with lights.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra shared her condolences to the families of those killed and injured in the bombing in a post on X.
She said she had ordered the police and security agencies to investigate the cause of the explosion and help those affected. She also directed an increase in police officers to oversee all festival events.
According to the Bangkok Post, between 8,000 and 9,000 people attended the week-long festival this year, and the attack took place on the penultimate night of the event.
Umphang is the southernmost district in Thailand’s northern Tak province, which shares a border with Myanmar to the west.
