At Least Four People Injured as Multiple Blasts Hit Bangkok

(Bloomberg) -- Authorities in Thailand tightened security in Bangkok as they probed a series of small blasts that hit the city Friday morning, injuring at least four people.

Some of the explosions were caused by homemade bombs and the incidents could be linked, the police said. Blasts occurred at a government complex, a suburban road, below a downtown metro station and near an army building.

Bangkok is currently hosting the Asean Foreign Ministers' meeting, with top diplomats including U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo attending. There's no suggestion any explosions directly targeted the event, which is ringed by tight security.

Thailand's Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha said in a Twitter post that he condemns those responsible for the incidents.

“This damages the peacefulness and the image of the country,” he said. “I've ordered security officials to ensure the safety of the public and those affected.”

Restricted Zones

Bangkok officials announced restricted zones around key parts of the metropolis, including the venue of the summit, in the wake of the blasts.

The series of explosions is the first to hit Bangkok under the new Thai government, which took office following a disputed general election in March.

Prayuth was picked by lawmakers to return as premier at the head of a sprawling ruling coalition, after five years as leader of a junta that seized power in 2014.

But political divisions linger in a country with a history of elections, unrest -- including prior blasts -- and coups. The coalition's opponents are fiercely critical of what they describe as continued military influence in politics.

“Whoever is behind this is attempting to embarrass Prayuth's government,” said Paul Chambers, a Thai politics expert at Naresuan University's College of ASEAN Community Studies. “The timing of it appears to be aimed at making maximum impact.”

The benchmark gauge of Thai stocks, the SET index, fell 1.6% as of 2:48 p.m. in Bangkok, amid weakness in Asian markets after the U.S. announced plans for more tariffs on Chinese imports.

Thai Finance Minister Uttama Savanayana said the blasts are unlikely to affect investor confidence as the nation's economic fundamentals are sound, adding a stimulus package is due to be unveiled this month.

--With assistance from Suttinee Yuvejwattana, Unni Krishnan and Abhay Singh.

To contact the reporters on this story: Anuchit Nguyen in Bangkok at anguyen@bloomberg.net;Siraphob Thanthong-Knight in Bangkok at rthanthongkn@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Sunil Jagtiani at sjagtiani@bloomberg.net, Shamim Adam