The military has also crushed many of the opponents of Bangkok's powerful elite who have become more entrenched in the institutions of government. A bomb blast at a popular shrine in Bangkok that killed 22 people including eight foreigners did not match the tactics used by separatist rebels in southern Thailand. Credit:Reuters The coup followed a decade-long confrontation between the Bangkok elite and supporters of ousted prime minister Thaksin​ Shinawatra, a deeply polarising​ figure in the country. Last week Mr Thaksin​ posted a message on YouTube urging his followers to reject a draft of the constitution, declaring it undemocratic. Police investigate the scene the morning after the explosion. Credit:AP
The bomb also comes at a time that the military-dominated government has moved against powerful mafia-like figures across the country. There have also been tensions over the military's annual promotion list, a traditional source of unrest among different cliques of the army. Experts investigate the remains of destroyed motorcycles at the Erawan shrine. Credit:Reuters Government spokesman Werachon​ Sukhondhapatipak​ told reporters, "It's too early to link the bomb to terrorist attack because no group has come to claim responsibility so far." But immediate suspicion fell on the southern militants after Monday's blast at the Hindu Erawan​ shrine during peak hour when there were scores of tourists and Thais in the area.
Thailand's security apparatus was left reeling in April after they linked a bomb in an underground car park of a shopping centre on the resort island of Samui to Asia's longest-running war in Thailand's four southern provinces that has left more than 6300 people dead and at least 11,500 injured. That bomb was one of a few times militants had ventured out of the Malay-dominated provinces of Narathiwat​, Yala, Pattani and the four southern districts of Songkhla province. Zachary Abuza​, head of South-East Asian Analytics and author of multiple books on the conflict, said insurgents have tended in the past to feel that out-of-area attacks were counter-productive, violated their sense of "defensive jihad" and would unleash Thai security forces on them. But the Koh Samui​ bombing appeared to be an attempt to sabotage an area of economic significance, which is known to be one of the militants' strategies. The insurgents routinely do not claim responsibility for their attacks in what experts call Thailand's "forgotten war" because it is rarely reported outside of the country.
In June, Fairfax Media reported growing fears that the insurgents, who have shunned previous attempts to align themselves with Islamic terrorist organisations like al-Qaeda and Jemaah Islamiyah, were looking to expand their sphere of influence. Anusart​ Suwanmongkol​, a member of Thailand's military installed national assembly and a businessman in Pattani​, a town in the centre of the violence, warned the conflict had entered a new and even more dangerous phase because of the increasing globalisation of Islam through Facebook and other social media. The last major bombings in Bangkok were on New Year's Eve at the end of 2006 when three people were killed and dozens wounded. There was speculation at the time that the perpetrators were supporters of Mr Thaksin​, who had been forced from power three months earlier. But the crimes were never solved.
As forensic investigators began on Tuesday to piece together the sequence of events to try to track the perpetrators of Monday's bombing there was little doubt it was a deliberate act to harm Thailand's tourism and economy. The Erawan​ Shrine is a major tourist attraction. National Police Chief Somyot Pumpanmuang told reporters on Wednesday that police are not ruling out any motive, including ethnic Uighurs. Thailand forcibly returned 109 Uighurs to China last month. Prime Minister General Prayuth Chan-ocha told reporters there were "still anti-government groups out there" but gave no further details.
authorities are searching for a man wearing a yellow , recorded on video leaving a backpack shortly before a pipe-bomb exploded two days ago near Erawan  Shrine, . 

The shrine is a popular attraction in Thailand's capital, where at least 20 people, including at least eight foreigners, are reported dead with upwards of 100 injured. 

The blast occurred at approximately 7pm on Monday  (1200 ), when central Bangkok was flooded with pedestrian activity. Authorities say the suspect may have already left Thailand and was assisted by others.

Following months of political unrest, since the explosion the  hit a six year low. 

According to Defence Minister Prawit Wonguwan speaking to , the bombing was a deliberate attack on the country's economy and tourism industry. 

Military authorities said  insurgents from the country's southern provinces are unlikely to be behind the attack.


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