Bombing shocks Thailand

It was the deadliest attack in Bangkok's history. On Monday, August 17, a bomb was detonated in the center of the Thai capital, which killed 20 people and injured more than 120.

"People are shocked and stunned," Michael Winzer, director of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Bangkok, told DW. "They are afraid that the violence might continue."

The attack also broke a taboo, because for the first time the foreigners were targeted. The head of the Thai military junta, Prayut Chan Ocha, said Tuesday that surveillance cameras showed a male suspect, who is now being searched. The speculation that he could be an opposition supporter, however, should be dealt with care, says Winzer: "There are no concrete indications of a particular group involved in the attack. Everything is still open."

Motives unclear

The list of possible perpetrators could be long. In addition to the supporters of the previous government, which was toppled by the military in May 2014, the attackers could also be Muslim separatists fighting for independence from Thailand for years. Even the Uighurs, a Muslim minority living in China's northwest, could be accused. Just recently, some 100 Uighurs were deported from Thailand to China.

"The government and the security forces have reacted sensibly so far," Siegfried Herzog, head of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNS) in Thailand, told DW. The government has advised the citizens to be vigilant, but it has not deployed a large number of troops. "The authorities do not want to play in the hands of the terrorists and create more panic," he added.

Further destabilization

"Whoever is behind the attack, it will continue to politically destabilize the country," Winzer is convinced.

For several years, Thailand has been facing a political crisis. The military is struggling with the government and the reorganization of institutions and is expected to take some major decisions in the coming days. On August 23, a draft constitution will be discussed in the National Council for Peace and Order, and new military officers will replace the old ones in key positions by the end of September.

The Bangkok attack has further complicated the situation. "After the coup, the military promised to bring back peace and order. Its legitimacy has naturally been undermined by the attack," said Winzer, adding that the military would likely show even more power now.

Herzog, however, does not consider it a foregone conclusion that Thailand's political crisis has been aggravated by the attack. He said the attack would generate the feeling of solidarity in the society, which has been split for many years.

Economic impact

However, both experts say the attack bears economic consequences for the Southeast Asian nation. The country's economy has weakened in the past years. Due to political infighting and chaos, the much-needed economic reforms were not implemented before the coup.The situation has not improved even after the military took power. According to Winzer, "the economy has not got back on its feet since the beginning of the political unrest in 2013."

The bombing is also expected to harm the tourism industry, which despite political turmoil did not really suffer, Winzer added.

The site of the attack, the Erawan Shrine, is a tourist hub. "The Shrine is a major tourist attraction in Bangkok. Pretty much everyone who goes to Bangkok visits the Erawan Shrine," said Winzer.

The attackers not only had the objective of creating fear and terror among the public but also wanted to generate the media coverage. "That's obviously been achieved," said Herzog.