Home-made bomb found in Chiang Mai

Local Chiang Mai resident, 46-year old Nathee Ananpanyasuth averted a potential disaster when he found a homemade bomb on a street near his shop Friday morning. Nathee had parked his car when he spotted a suspicious package outside Saenfang Temple. He placed it in a rubbish bin before proceeding to his business, the Ronrungsap clothing shop in Warorot Market and called the police. The bomb squad arrived and confirmed the box did indeed contain a homemade explosive device fabricated from a coffee can.

A robot examined the device previous to police taking it to the open area at Thapae Gate and performing a controlled explosion. Police said the explosion radius was about 30 metres. To perform the explosion in such a central and busy area meant roads had to be closed for two hours, causing heavy traffic jams all around the roads surrounding the old city as well as the main arteries leading east towards the Ping River.

Police have said a full investigation into the incident is underway, and as of yet no person or group has claimed responsibility.