Grenade incident at university near Thailand's seat of government

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via CAAI News Media

BANGKOK, Feb 14 (TNA) -- Despite tightened vigilence by police and army security personnel, a state university near Thailand's Government House in Bangkok was the scene of a late night apparent bombing inside the campus, damaging four parked cars, a university roof and a pavilion, police said.

The incident took place at about 11pm when an unidentified attacker fired an M79 grenade at Rajamangala University of Technology Phra Nakhon, 50 metres from Government House. Thailand's seat of government, the offices of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, police said.

Police rushed to the university and found four parked vehicles with the university grounds damaged, and the roof of one university building and a pavilion were also damaged.

No casualties were reported, according to police.

Police are investigating the possible firing location for the grenade launcher, and have not yet ruled whether the incident is connected with the ongoing political turbulence in the country.

Saturday’s incident took place as judges of the Supreme Court Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions will hand down their verdict on February 26 regarding whether Mr Thaksin's Bt76.6 billion in frozen assets were accumulated illegally while he was prime minister.

Mr. Thaksin was ousted in a bloodless coup in September 2006.

Prime Minister Abhisit told journalists Sunday he believed the bomber wanted to create unrest, saying that the target was likely to be either Government House or the nearby National Counter Corruption Commission Offices rather than the university.

Reiterating that he is not perturbed by the “sabotage” incident, Mr. Abhisit said those who have tried to create unrest won’t get what they want to achieve.

He warned those creating unrest to move within legal framework as it is the only way to solve problems.

His warning was made as members of United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), the Red Shirts, who are staunch supporters of fugitive, ousted prime minister Thaksin plan another major rally at the Election

Commission (EC) at the new Government Complex on Chaeng Wattana Road on Monday.

Again, Mr. Abhisit said the government does not plan to invoke the Internal Security Act although anti-government protesters are staging more boisterous demonstrations in the country as the verdict on Mr.Thaksin’s frozen assets approaches. (TNA)