Grenade fired at Thai state-run TV station damages news van in latest unclaimed attack

Grenade explodes at Thai state-run TV station

BANGKOK — A grenade was fired into 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 Thai capital.

Police said the grenade was fired from an expressway overlooking the government-run National Broadcasting Services of Thailand, known as NBT. It was deflected by tree branches before landing and exploding in the building’s outdoor parking lot.

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 injured.

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

A Cabinet minister and the Bangkok police chief inspected the site after the attack, along with a bomb squad.

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.