Explosion reported in downtown Bangkok; two Taiwanese tourists from Lion Travel injured in the legs and hospitalized

▲ Explosion at Bangkok’s Chit Lom Station. (Photo / Digital Image / AP)

Reported by Chen Rui-zhong / Taipei

An explosion occurred near the Erawan Shrine in Bangkok this evening (August 17), resulting in multiple casualties. Among them, two tourists from Taiwan’s Lion Travel sustained leg injuries and have been sent to the hospital for treatment.

YU Kuo-chen, spokesperson for Lion Travel, stated that the company currently has six tour groups in Thailand tonight, totaling 136 people. The affected tourists were part of a group that departed on August 14 and was scheduled to return to Taiwan on August 18. At the time of the explosion, some members of the group were nearby visiting. Among them, a father and daughter surnamed Chang suffered flesh wounds to their feet and back. They have been sent to the hospital and further decisions regarding their return to Taiwan will be made based on medical assessments.

The Tourism Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation also noted that preliminary estimates suggest around five Taiwanese tourists were at the scene of the explosion. Aside from the two Lion Travel tourists known to have sustained minor injuries, the bureau is currently working with travel associations and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to gain a clearer understanding of the actual situation.

Provided exclusively for ETtoday News Cloud by Digital Image. No website, newspaper, or TV station may reproduce any part or all of this content without permission from Digital Image.