At least four people killed and dozens injured including British tourists after series of co-ordinated blasts rock Phuket and other resorts
Authorities rule out Islamic terrorism as attention turns towards Thai separatists
FOUR people have been killed and dozens more injured after a series of explosions at tourist spots across Thailand.
Two more blasts rocked the popular tourist resort of Patong on the island of Phuket early this morning after two hit Hua Hin yesterday.
At least ten attacks have been reported at resorts across Thailand after explosives were hidden in plant pots.
Two Brits are believed to be amongst those injured during the blasts, which seemingly targeted tourist hotspots.
Similar explosions hit the regions of Surat Thani, Phang Nga and Trang - popular stop-off destinations for tourists on their way to the country's idyllic southern islands.
Thai authorities ruled out Islamic terrorism as investigations turned towards local separatists.
One of those killed was a Thai woman while at least 20 more are injured, including two Brits.
It is believed the bombs were hidden in plant pots and detonated using mobile phones.
Local hospitals have said 11 of those injured in Hua Hin - where terrorists targeted a bustling street filled with bars and restaurants - are tourists, two of whom are believed to be British.
Hospitals told ABC three victims were Dutch, seven were German, Austrian or Italian and one person's nationality remains unknown.
TIMELINE OF TERROR: How eleven bomb blasts ripped through five Thai tourist hot spots in just 18 hours
THURSDAY AUGUST 113pm: A bomb explodes at the Centre Point Market in Muang district in the Trang province. One man is killed with at least half a dozen injured
9.45pm and 10.15pm: Two bombs go off at the 56 beer bar in tourism hotspot of Hua Hin, killing one person and injuring 19
11pm: Raintree spa is targeted with a bomb detonating at the Hua Hin resort. One woman is killed with 21 people injured in the attacks
FRIDAY AUGUST 12
7.45am: A bomb goes off at the Loma public park in Patong district, Phuket. One person suffers minor injuries
8am: A bomb is detonated out the front of the Muang Surat police station in Surat Thani. No one is injured
8.45am: A bomb, planted in the traffic control box in Kathu district, Phuket, explodes. No one is injured
9.14am: Two bombs, hidden in the pot plants near the Hua Hin’s clock tower, explode just five minutes apart in Hua Hin. One person is killed and another three are wounded
10am: Two cars are damaged when two bombs explode out the front of Bang Miang in Ta Kua Pa district of Phang Nga province
9.30am: A suspicious object was found in a potato-chip can in front of the Ban Thai Hotel in Phuket.
Brit Mark Gainsford told the he had been in a bar near the blasts: "I heard people shouting 'Bomb! Bomb!' but I didn't hear any blast.
";I ran out to see if I could help. I saw eight to 10 people injured, on the floor. The police arrived very quickly."
Authorities are said to have confirmed one fatality and said three of those injured are in a serious condition, according to .
Thailand's public broadcasting network reported 20 people were injured in the blast, which went off at 10.50pm local time.
WHO DID IT? Who are the likely suspects behind Phuket and Hua Hin bomb attacks?
Thai police have been sent scrambling to identify who was behind the deadly bombing spree that rocked the country.
No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks, with speculation over the possible groups and their motives growing.
Bangkok bombers
The attack took place almost a year to the day of the bombing of the Erawan Shrine and no group claimed responsibility since. The bombing killed more than 20 and injured more than 100 people. The method of the 2015 attack, which used a bomb left in a backpack and was detonated by a mobile phone, was similar to that of the recent bombings which saw the bombs left in plants lining the main street.
Police have since charged two ethnic Uighur Chinese men over the attack with both men pleading not guilty.
Anti-government movement
Junta leader Prayuth Chan-ocha only this week took responsibility for bringing stability back to the country. But reports have surfaced that the attacks might have been done to embarrass the military government. The attack also took place on the birthday of Thai Queen Sirikit, with the attacks possibly motivated to protest those in power.
Red-shirts
The supporters of ousted Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, mostly made up of rural poor and left-wing activists and students, have previously been involved in street battles against the military almost 10 years ago. The group has been involved in street protests in recent years, agitating against the junta.
ISIS
Authorities have tried to stem fears that the bombings were planned by international terrorists but concerns groups like ISIS were slowly growing in southeast Asia were flagged only this week. Countries were warned ISIS would be able to conduct dangerous terrorist attacks with little resources and the support of only a few individuals.
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Edwin Wiek, founder of the Wildlife Friends Foundation in Thailand, is at the Hua Hin hospital.
He said: "At #HuaHin hospital. Seems five foreigners injured, two British, three of unknown nationality."
A Foreign Office spokesperson said: "We are seeking further information following an incident in Hua Hin, Thailand.
"We stand ready to provide assistance to anyone British involved."
The blasts coincided with the Thai queen's birthday celebrations.
Wiek was at the scene around 10 minutes after the blast.
He told ABC: "There was a lot of blood, towels, tissues, I mean all kinds of stuff people use to stop the bleeding of wounded people.
"I saw that on different sides, about 100 metres away from each other... where tourists are going to have drinks and walk around, two bombs went off that were planted in pot plants.
"One [was] at an intersection, another one in front of a bar, next to a temple."
A woman has died and a number of people have been injured after a bomb attack in Hua Hin
Later he added: "Besides two English women, one young German girl is injured in #HuaHin #Bomb. Age around 20 years.
"The #HuaHin hospital says two injured foreigners are from the Netherlands."
The bombs are said to have been 50 metres and 30 minutes apart.
Both explosions were set off from mobile phone devices planted at a bar in Soi Bintabaht.
One of the devices was reportedly planted in a flowerpot.
A female food vendor whose cart was parked in front of the bar was reportedly killed.
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Thai Police Col. Sutthichai Srisopacharoenrat said two of those injured are tourists, but their nationalities are unknown.
One eyewitness report said a foreign man with his wife and child had been badly injured.
Edward Wiek added on Twitter: "[They] had bones sticking out of legs according to local people."
Security is said to be tight on the resort now as it reels from the aftermath, with a number of emergency services on the scene.
A number of police checkpoints have been set up in and around the town.
Local media outlets shared photos allegedly showing injured people at a nearby hospital.
The explosion reportedly rocked a bar in the Soi Bintabaht area of Hua Hin
Twin bombings are said to be common in Thailand's southern-most provinces, with armed separatists wreaking havoc for 12 years - but they rarely affect tourist hotspots.
The explosions came ahead of a long weekend of celebrations in Thailand.
Friday is the Queen's Birthday and a public holiday in the country.
Hua Hin, situated about 90 miles southwest of Bangkok, is expecting a number of visitors over the bank holiday weekend and is said to be the preferred home of King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
Thailand travel advice: How to stay safe
BRITISH tourists in Thailand are being told to “exercise extreme caution” after a series of coordinated bombings wrought havoc across the country.
The Foreign Office’s travel advice has warned against “all but essential travel” in southern provinces due to the terror threat.
"There have been multiple explosions in tourist areas across Thailand on 11 and 12 August", a Foreign Office spokesperson said.
"We are in close contact with local authorities and urgently seeking more information.
"We stand ready to provide assistance to anyone British involved."
The Foreign Office has also told Brits in the country to avoid public places and follow the orders of local police and other authorities.
"There is a high threat from terrorism", its latest advice says.
Officials are "urgently clarifying" reports of the blast on the holiday island of Phuket to ensure there are no British casualties.
The island is hugely popular with Brit tourists.
They are warning against "all but essential travel" to the southern provinces of Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat and Songkhla near the Malaysian border.
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