Originally Posted by
gemini573
Slightly off topic. Some people say the area along Ploenchit/Chidlom has a lot of bad spirits/energy. If you walk along the street, you'll notice each business has a place a worship; The IC Hotel, Renaissance, Amarin Plaza, Erawan Hotel, etc. The junction where this bomb went off happens to be the strongest.
Having said that, tourism to BKK will probably take a small hit. Time and time again, BKK has always bounced back from these unfortunate events. That's why some say BKK/Thailand is like Teflon.
These are actually "spirit houses", and the Erawan Shrine is basically a very large spirit house, although it has evolved into a commercial enterprise, probably as a result of its location. Most houses, apartment buildings, businesses have a spirit house. I think there are at least three at Suvarnabhumi airport.
I wouldn't classify Erawan Shrine as a Buddhist or Hindu "shrine". It may have been targeted for the location (major intersection, lots of tourists, day after the Bike for Mom event, proximity to RTP HQ, location of some of the 2010 'crackdown'). There are a lot more people at this shrine during the day; when I walked overhead on Sunday the shrine was packed, with more people on the overhead walkway (from Chit Lom BTS to Central World, all the way to Siam BTS) filming the site. Last evening I was ~ 1 Km away walking home but did not hear anything, other than thunder. Wasn't aware of the incident until I got home and looked at my phone.
Obviously there have been an unending series of similar bombings in Thailand's four restive southern provinces. There have been some incidents outside of that region recently with two small bombs at Siam Paragon (shopping mall - Feb. 2015) and a larger device at a Mall on Koh Samui (April. 2015) which remain "unsolved".
I'm certain the Military Junta and Royal Thai Police will get to the bottom of this, even if it means stitching up pesky Burmese or mysterious 'Men in Black'. To quote RTP chief Samyot, "Bomb intended to kill", nothing gets by this chap.
http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/081715_...y_message.html