Thailand Bombings Were Meant to Scare Tourists Locals in Phuket Say
Four days after Thailand voted to accept a controversial constitution that gives the military control over the political future of the country, a series of bomb blasts in popular tourist destinations rocked the kingdom on Thursday night and Friday morning. The explosions in Hua Hin, Phuket, Trang and Surat Thani killed four people and injured scores more, and police have warned of further attacks. No one has yet claimed responsibility. In Phuket, a tourist hot spot that sees an estimated 5 million visitors a year, two bombs exploded at around 8 a.m. local time in the beach town of Patong. Patong is the main tourist center on Phuket  a bustling, vibrant town known for its a rowdy nightlife and plethora of "girly" bars, restaurants, and clubs. One bomb exploded outside a police box close to the beach at the bottom of the busy Bangla Road, injuring a motorcycle taxi driver. Another was detonated 300 m away at Loma Park, the Bangkok Post reports. No one was wounded in the second blast.