China summons Thai officials over Bangkok bombing

The government said the attack during the Monday evening rush hour, in the capital’s bustling commercial hub, was aimed at destroying the economy.

Japan, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Maldives, Oman, the Philippines and Singapore all had one or more nationals wounded, according to the list.

Hong Kong immigration authorities confirmed their identities after arriving in Bangkok with Chan’s parents.

The realisation, as news spread and official reports confirmed the death toll and likely extent of injuries, clearly affected the Australians who many thought initially may have been directly caught up in the blast.

A Thai police spokesman says a man seen in security video wearing a yellow T-shirt and carrying a backpack is believed to have set off the explosion at the Bangkok shrine.

In the video he calmly places the backpack underneath a bench and then walks away clutching a blue plastic bag and what looks like a smartphone.

In a bid to reassure the public especially foreign visiters Thai police spokesperson Prawut Thavornsiri said that officers, not just in Bangkok but all around the country are to protect tourist attractions. Police were trying to track down the taxi driver.

Central Bangkok is particularly popular with foreign tourists, and they were among the casualties in the blast, which is being described as the largest attack in the history of the ancient city.

In December last year 27 people were injured after a series of explosions in the downtown area of Songkhla and tourist hotspot Phuket was put on high alert after a vehicle bomb was discovered parked outside a police station.

On August 18, at about 1:20 p.m., an unknown assailant threw a pipe bomb from Bangkok’s Taksin Bridge onto a crowded platform at the Sathorn boat pier.

“It is much clearer who the bombers are, but I can’t reveal more right now”, Prawit said, as he headed into a Cabinet meeting Tuesday morning.

It was virtually impossible to determine anything about the motive for the attack from the video footage of the man, and no individual or group has claimed responsibility.

But the slogan really started growing in popularity on Tuesday after a speech by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha calling for national unity.

This is the political faction loyal to ousted Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who was toppled by the military in a coup in May of previous year.

It said tourists now in Thailand are calm and have made no complaints.

The hashtag was first mentioned shortly after the news of the bomb broke, and “Stronger Together” was spotted on signs left outside the Erawan shrine where the bomb was detonated on Monday.

They said in a statement: “We would like to send our heartfelt condolences to her family and friends during this hard moment”. The US Embassy in Bangkok advised citizens to avoid the shrine’s area.