Singaporeans among those injured in Bangkok explosion

Some Singaporeans are among the injured in the Bangkok blast last night that has killed at least 16 and hurt dozens of others.

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: "We have learnt that some Singaporeans were injured." It added that its embassy staff are rendering the necessary consular assistance to the affected Singaporeans and are checking with the Thai authorities if there are more Singaporeans affected by the blast.

Singaporean Clarice Luo, 25, who is in Bangkok for a birthday trip, missed the explosion by about 20 minutes - she passed through the area earlier on her way to Chinatown.

She said: "My Thai friend and I were driving on the adjacent street and almost ended up on the same intersection, but, thankfully, my friend took an alternative route... At around 7.20pm, I was told there were other bombs in the area and to get back to my hotel."

She said it took an hour to make her way back to her hotel - one train station away from the blast area.

Singaporeanfilm-maker Boo Junfeng, 32, who is in Bangkok for work, was on the Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTS) at the time of the blast. "I got off the BTS at Siam Station and heard the blaring sirens of emergency vehicles. I thought there might have been a fire nearby," he told ST. It was only at dinner that he heard about the explosion.

Things seemed to go on as usual at the Siam Paragon mall. "There were many people trying to get out of the area and the roads were jammed," he said. He is likely to stay there for another two weeks.

A Singaporean bank worker who gave her name only as Ms Lee, 32, was on her way back to her rented apartment near the National Stadium train station when her host told her the news. "I wanted to stop by Siam (station) for dinner and a massage, but my host called me and said a bomb went off in the vicinity. So I went straight to the apartment." Ms Lee is to fly home tomorrow.

Singaporean freelance designer Hendric Tay, 27, who is on holiday and stays about 3km from the Erawan Shrine, was in Chinatown at the time of the blast. He is not going to cut short his trip. "I don't think the situation warrants returning immediately. I'll just be more alert."

A 21-year-old student, who declined to be named, was about to book an air ticket to Bangkok when she saw the news. "I was planning to go with a friend but we've both decided not to go any more."

leepearl@sph.com.sg

tiffanyt@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Aug 18, 2015.
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