Security at the Erawan Shrine and Ratchaprasong intersection in the heart of Bangkok has been increased, as a precautionary measure after both the United States and Japanese embassies in Thailand separately issued advisories to their citizens to exercise caution when visiting congested locations in the capital.
The warning came hot on the heels of Friday’s deportation to China, by Thailand, of 40 Uyghurs, held in detention for about a decade. An alert, posted on the US Embassy’s website, said that, in 2015, an improvised explosive device was detonated at the Erawan Shrine, killing 20 people and injuring 125 others shortly after a previous deportation of Uyghurs to China.
Additional uniformed and plainclothes officers from Lumpini police station have been deployed to the Erawan Shrine, located on one corner of the Ratchaprasong intersection and a popular attraction for Chinese tourists. to watch for anything which may pose a threat to visitors to area, which is usually crowded, with Chinese tourists in particular.
The police have also asked vendors there to act as their eyes and ears and to alert them if they come across any suspicious objects or individuals. The vendors were also told not to accept any object for safe keeping.
Meanwhile, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has installed more surveillance cameras, equipped with AI technology, at the intersection.
A city official said, however, that the installations are unrelated to the advisories issued by the US and Japanese embassies in Bangkok. He claimed that the AI technology in the CCTV system was introduced some time ago, to keep track of motorcyclists using the sidewalks in the area.
