People in Bangkok behind bombings: Thai PM

Thai Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont confirmed on Thursday that "people living in Bangkok", rather than southern extremists were behind the deadly bombings in Bangkok on New Year's Eve, Thai media reported Thursday.

Surayud made the remarks at the meeting of the National Legislative Assembly, installed after the Sept. 19 coup to serve as interim parliament, English-language Bangkok Post reported on its website.

The premier said that complete information prompted him to believe that perpetrators of the bombings were "a group of people living in Bangkok."

The statement was a reiteration of his charges on Monday that the Sunday night bombings were the work of "people who lost political interests", while downplaying their relations with the ongoing southern unrest.

Surayud said that an intelligence unit had earlier informed the government about possible attacks on shopping malls in Bangkok.

"Intelligence agency received information that violent activities would be staged on Dec. 31 at the World Trade Center ( now Central World) and Seacon Square shopping malls," Surayud was quoted as saying.

Explosives were found at both locations on Sunday night, according to earlier reports.

Surayud also warned that there could be more attacks like those in Bangkok on New Year's Eve, which killed three and injured nearly 40 others.

"I would like to ask everyone in the country to prepare for life-threatening events like this for a while," the premier said, without giving any further details.

Source: Xinhua