6 Chinese confirmed killed in Bangkok

The number of Chinese nationals killed in Monday night's explosion in Bangkok rose to six on Tuesday, four from the mainland and two from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, according to the Chinese embassy in Thailand.

The bombing had left 20 dead and 125 injured as of Tuesday noon, Thai PBS reported. The dead included two Malaysians, and one from Singapore, Indonesia and the UK.

Another 22 Chinese - 17 from the Chinese mainland, two from Hong Kong and three from Taiwan - were hospitalized, the embassy said. More than 10 others, who sustained minor injuries, have been discharged from the hospital, and one person remained missing.

Among the hospitalized Chinese, five were in serious condition in the intensive care unit.

Relatives of the injured Chinese started arriving in Bangkok on Tuesday. The Chinese embassy arranged for volunteers to assist at airports and hotels.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on Tuesday that China strongly condemns the explosion, and expresses its deepest grief for the victims and condolences to the bereaved families.

"China will remain in close contact with Thailand, make the best arrangements for the deceased and the injured, and take active measures to ensure the safety and interests of Chinese people and institutions in Thailand," she added.

Thai police said they are hunting for a suspect seen in video footage: a man wearing a yellow T-shirt and dark-framed glasses, who they believe may be connected to the bombing at Erawan Shrine.

The Thai Tourism Ministry announced compensation of 300,000 baht ($8,500) for the death of each international traveler, and 10,000 baht for every injured one.

"It is still too early to tell the influence of the bombing on Thailand's tourism industry. There are cancellations after Monday's accident, but the priority of our work is to provide sufficient medical service to injured people," said Tourism Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul.

Earlier on Tuesday afternoon, a pipe bomb was thrown from Sathorn Bridge in Bangkok, but it hit a pillar and bounced into a canal, where it detonated harmlessly, sending up a large plume of water, the Bangkok Post quoted Thai police as saying.

Sathorn Pier, which is under the bridge, is a major terminal linking Chao Phraya River commuter boats and the nearby Skytrain station. It's also a major tourist stop, especially for Chinese tour groups.

The two bombs had a strong influence on Chinese travelers, who are the largest source of visitors for Thailand's tourism market.

zhaoyanrong@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 08/19/2015 page1)