Grenade fired at Thai state-run TV station damages news van but wounds no one in latest attack

Grenade hits Thai state TV station; no wounded

BANGKOK — A grenade exploded in the compound of Thailand’s state-run broadcaster Tuesday, damaging several vehicles but causing no injuries in the latest in a spate of unclaimed attacks in the capital.

The grenade was deflected by trees before landing and detonating in the outdoor parking lot of the National Broadcasting Services of Thailand, known as NBT, just after lunchtime, said Bangkok police chief Lt. Gen. Santan Chaiyanont.

The attack was the fourth grenade explosion in five weeks in the Thai capital, which is still rife with political divisions and under emergency rule. The earlier attacks left one person dead and a dozen wounded.

No one has claimed responsibility for any of the explosions, but the government says the recent attacks justify keeping Bangkok under a state of emergency that was imposed during anti-government protests and riots in April and May in which 91 people were killed and 1,400 wounded.

NBT has been criticized by anti-government Red Shirt protesters for reporting that favors the government.

Santan, the police chief, and a Cabinet minister inspected the site after the attack, along with a bomb squad. Santan said initial theories that the grenade was fired from an expressway overlooking the compound were unlikely since police were on the expressway at the time of the attack.

Rattana Jarernsak, executive director of NBT, said a half-dozen cars were damaged by the grenade but there was no plan to evacuate.

“The explosion hasn’t really affected the journalists, and we’ll continue our operation,” Rattana said.