A bomb has exploded outside a Hindu shrine in central Bangkok, killing at least 16 people and wounding scores more, police say.
“The death toll is now 16,” police spokesman Prawut Thavornsiri said on Monday, while an emergency medical centre said more than 80 people were injured in the massive blast.
A “significant portion” of the casualties were foreigners, he said.
The explosion took place at the Rajprasong intersection, which was the center of many contentious political demonstrations in recent years. The intersection is located in a central Bangkok district popular among tourists for the Erawan Hindu Shrine. The shrine is located on a main road through Bangkok’s commercial hub and is surrounded by three major shopping malls.
“Our initial findings are it is a bomb inside the shrine,” Thailand’s police chief Chakthip Chijinda told Channel 9 television.
Over 80 people are also said to have been injured in the blast. The death toll is likely to increase with many seriously injured and undergoing emergency procedures.