Bangkok – A bomb blast at a Hindu shrine in central Bangkok has left at least 19 people dead, and and wounding scores more.
Images shared on social media have shown destruction of the surrounding area, and bodies lying dead in the street.
The bomb is believed to have been on a motorcycle and exploded just outside the Hindu shrine in the centre of the Thai capital.
“It was a bomb; I think it was inside a motorcycle … it was very big, look at the bodies,” one shocked rescue volunteer, who did not want to be named, told AFP.
Body parts and mangled scooters were scattered across the street after the explosion at about 7pm local time (12noon GMT) at the Erawan shrine in the central Chidlom district of the Thai capital.
At least 10 Thais, one Chinese and one Filipino citizen are among the 18 dead, according to the national police chief Somyot Poompanmuang, who called the perpetrators of the attack “cruel” for targeting a religious shrine at a busy period.
“Those who have planted this bomb are cruel,” said Poompanmuang. “They aim to kill because everyone knows that at 7pm the shrine is crowded with Thais and foreigners. Planting a bomb there means they want to see a lot of dead people.”
Dozens of ambulances were at the scene and a nearby metro station was closed. Medics and police formed a line at the large intersection and walked slowly forward, looking for any debris from the blast.
A potential second device that sparked a security alert was found to be harmless, police said.