With reporting from Penny Yi Wang in Bangkok
Updated at 2:30pm with a statement from Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
A Qatari man was among the more than 120 people injured in an explosion in Thailand on Monday, Thai officials have confirmed.
According to an official list of victims posted by the incident information coordination center, the man has been identified only as Essa and is at Bumrungrad International Hospital, one of Southeast Asia’s largest private hospitals.
Hospital officials were not immediately available to comment about Essa’s medical status.
However, Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement in Arabic to Doha News that the man sustained “slight injuries” when passing “some distance” from the site of the incident in a taxi.
He is expected to be discharged from hospital today, MOFA added.
The ministry did not name him, but said he lived in Thailand without his family.
Addressing the issue of why the man wasn’t previously identified, the statement added: “We were careful not to provoke panic among his family or among the citizens who are brothers.”
News of an injured Qatari comes days after the Gulf country’s embassy in Thailand said all nationals in Bangkok at the time of the explosion were safe.
Speaking to Al Sharq on Monday, Ambassador Jaber bin Ali Al Dosri said the embassy has urged nationals to avoid crowded areas, such as the CentralWorld Shopping Plaza, one of the Thai capital’s main attractions.
“I have asked all fellow Qatari citizens to be careful especially during commuting and moving in and around tourist and commercial areas which are located in the heart of the city,” he said.
In a statement earlier this week, a MOFA representative condemned the blast, saying it aimed “to shake security and stability, to terrorize people, to claim innocent lives and to harm the economy of countries.”
The ministry also expressed condolences to the families of the victims and recovery wishes to the wounded.
Hunting for suspects
In addition to injuring more than 100 visitors, the bomb blast also killed 20 people, at least half of them foreigners. The explosion was at the Erawan shrine, a hotspot for Hindu and Buddhist tourists.
No individual or group has claimed responsibility for the attack, and authorities have not pointed any fingers, save to suggest the bomber “may be pursuing political gain or other intentions by damaging the economy and tourism,” the Thai prime minister said.
After studying days of CCTV footage, police have said the bomb was planted by a man in a yellow shirt who sat down on a bench in the shrine on Monday and left a backpack there. The blast went off minutes after he left.
The suspect was described as a dark-haired man with glasses and light facial hair.
He is thought to have at least two accomplices who were at the shrine at the time.
Thoughts?
I hope he gets well soon but I wonder what he was doing in a notorious area of Bangkok……
I too hope he recovers quickly. He may have been on a “research” project documenting the exotic side of Bangkok. Doha can get boring you know..
Better we remember 20 people are dead instead and close this thread to respect their memory.
‘For Academic Purposes’! But they just had to mention that he’s being treated in the ‘largest private hospital’ of SE Asia!!
Not really notorious. More like area with a great mall and five star hotels (he might have been feeling home sick). The kidding aside, I hope he is well.
My bad, Patpong is just over the street and I am sure being a good Muslim he wasn’t visiting the Hindu Temple, very bad idol worshipping gores on there….
Just over the street…??? 30 – 40 minute walk ….sounds like you want to visit Patpong…My bad
Ah good to see we have an expert in the seedy side of Bangkok….
Notorious to seedy….??? Don’t insult a nation of over 65 million people because of your hypocritical presumptions and personal inadequacies…..sure you’ll be able to find your seediness in any country in the world, starting here in Qatar any given day of the week….
Yes we are still waiting on the DN open prostituion expose in Doha….
Well said. Anyone who’s had a drink at the Radisson recently could testify to that.
The article says he was in a taxi. Also it is not a temple it waa an beautiful outdoor shrine in a very touristy shopping area right on the street.
It was an interesting small cultural site that many tourists would stop by to appreciate regardless of religion.
Also it is in poor taste to make fun of someone who got injured, though I doubt you care.
He’s not really injured, is he? This is a non-story.
Well the article says he is among the 120 people injured. Although it quotes he is “slightly injured” it doesn’t clarify what their definition of “slightly” means.
The article states he would be “discharged today” (article dated Aug 20th) and the bomb exploded on the 17th. Three days in a hospital is sufficient to say a person is injured.
MIMH, I normally agree with 99% of what you have to say, but tbh it is just a silly presumption that Bangkok is a prostitute destination. There is much more to do there – not saying that these activities are perfectly within the boundaries of Islamic ‘tradition’, but still.
I think my favourite cartoon in the Arabic papers was a woman hanging onto the side of a plan with her kids with her husband inside as it takes off. The tag line was “you told me you were going to Mecca why is this plane going to Bangkok?”
However you are probably right he was there attending a conference and taking Thai cooking 101
Did you bother to read the article?
the man sustained “slight injuries” when passing “some distance” from the site of the incident in a taxi.
He was in a taxi, so just a passerby.
Though I do wonder why the quotation marks, possibly quoted from the police.
must be there for ‘medical’ treatment…
Does it really matter what he was doing there?
Would we ask this question if it was a white guy?
Katie
http://www.onlyindoha.com
Yes we would Katie, yes we would
(Interesting how you wove race into this. Are you feeling guilty about something?)
There were several references to what a Qatari would be doing in this part of Bangkok before my comment – I added my opinion but I certainly wasn’t the one who wove race into it as you suggest MIMH. Though it does seem you’re equally arrogant toward all. Do read more carefully in future!
Katie
http://www.onlyindoha.com
Arrogance is in the eye of the beholder. We could have a good talk about your condescending attitude though. Who do you think you are to offer advice to anyone? Are you arrogant enough to think that it is valued?
Oh, please.
Yes, what is it that you wish to request?
Hai Katie,
Among all the qualities of MIMH, the most prominent quality is the Racist. On this site Racist has become synonymous with MIMH.
Pity that small brain…!!
Libel again my friend. Don’t worry I won’t prosecute. I think that is a wrong thing to do to minors who are still learning
I’m pretty sure you can’t libel an anonymous internet handle.
Katie
http://www.onlyindoha.com
But you directed the race comment to me. Please be more observant in future
Is there a ‘reply all’ button? If there is, that’s the one I would have used. The comment was directed at you because you initiated the conversation, and was intended to add to the discussion as a whole – not purely as a remark directed at you.
Katie
http://www.onlyindoha.com
So if someone replied to you kill kill all Nepalis you would be responsible for the comment? Please grow up and enter a sensible discussion
Oh dear, you are new here, aren’t you? You’ll find that MIMH is equally irreverent to all, regardless of nationality, ethnicity, choice of God, favourite colour, or preferred team.
Thank you. Most only see what they want to see
Yes, I find the claims of racism against you to be ludicrous. You are equally dismissive and intolerant of fools of all ethnic groups and nationalities.
You won’t be popular saying that it doesn’t feed their prejudices. When the mirror is turned on them…. It breaks…
Split personality disorder?
Katie
http://www.onlyindoha.com
Deleting most of this thread for getting off track.
This is hardly a notorious area of Bangkok. It is surrounded by 5 star hotels and shopping malls.
Notorious….for praying …!! Anyway Qatar is ‘notoriously’ full of local hypocritical pillocks….
Deleting for attack.
Not a notorious area of Bangkok, it’s mostly a shopping area…
Ratchaprasong Junction has:
1- Hotels (Grand Hyatt, InterContinental, Renaissance, and Holiday Inn)
2- Shopping (Central World, Central Embassy, Amarin Plaza)
Right after the Junction is the Siam area which has lots of shopping (Siam Center, Siam Paragon, and MBK Center)
It makes sense to live in that area and walk to the shopping malls.
Liposuction or ladyboys or both on a package tour?
Gastric band and a happy ending
Wat Ureleef
Pathetic.
Get well soon brother. Everyone please stay safe during this time of turbulence.