One dead, dozens hurt in twin blasts at Thai resort

Two bombs exploded in the Thai seaside resort of Hua Hin yesterday, killing one woman and injuring up to 23 people, Thai police said.

The explosions happened ahead of a public holiday today to mark the birthday of Queen Sirikit. Hua Hin is a popular upscale Thai resort south of Bangkok and many people will have gone there for the holiday weekend.

The bombs were hidden in plant pots spaced 50m apart, and detonated by mobile phones within half an hour of each other, police said.

Twin bombings are a regular occurrence in Thailand’s three southern provinces, which are wracked by an insurgency.

But it is rare to find such attacks in Thailand’s tourist areas.

Local reports say the woman who died ran a food stall in the general location of the explosions.

Police are investigating and as yet do not know the motive or the identity of the bombers, a spokesperson said.

In a separate incident earlier yesterday a bomb exploded at a market in the southern Trang province in Thailand, injuring six people, police said.

Police believe that explosion was related to a local dispute.

Thais voted less than a week ago in a referendum to adopt a military-backed constitution, the first test of prime minister Prayuth Chan-ocha at the ballot box since he seized power in a coup in May 2014.

Thailand’s 88 year-old King Bhumibol Adulayadej, the world’s longest-reigning monarch, and his wife Sirikit, 83, are in hospital in Bangkok but have resided in recent years in Hua Hin at the Klai Kangwon Palace royal palace.