Indonesia condemns Bangkok bombings

Indonesia Tuesday strongly condemned the New Year's Eve bombings in Bangkok, Thailand, which killed five people and injured 38 others.

"The Indonesian government strongly condemns the bombings because it did not only claim lives but also disturbed security in the region," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Desra Percaya, quoted by the Antara news agency.

Desra said the government and people of Indonesia shared the Thai government and people's grief about the toll in human lives the blasts had taken.

He said the bombings were acts of terror that could not be justified.

Desra said the Indonesian government had also called on Indonesian citizens staying in Thailand to contact the Indonesian Embassy and offices of its representatives in that country so that they could be monitored easily in any further eventualities.

He said the Indonesian Embassy in Bangkok and the Indonesian consulate in Songkhla had been asked by the Foreign Ministry to advise Indonesian citizens not to attend parties or gatherings until the situation had returned to normal.

According to the Foreign Ministry, there were 500 Indonesian citizens in Thailand, of whom 200 were staying in Bangkok.

Source: Xinhua