Someone threw an explosive into the dancing crowd at the foot of an outdoor stage, and the festival turned into a scene of panic. At least three people died. Police say at least 48 were wounded, six of them critically.
It happened shortly before midnight local time on Friday at the Red Cross Doi Loyfa fair, an annual event in Umphang district, Tak province. Police got the call at 23:30 local time (16:30 GMT). The Umphang rescue team said the device landed where people had been dancing, and some of the wounded went to a nearby hospital. Several reports point to an improvised explosive device.
Suspects and the investigation
Two suspects are in custody, no charges have been pressed, according to the Associated Press and local media, which cited Thai police.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra posted condolences on X for those killed and injured and said she had told police and security agencies to find the cause of the explosion and assist those affected. She also ordered more officers to be posted at every festival event.
Scenes from the fairground
Footage said to come from the scene, posted on social media, shows emergency workers and festivalgoers tending to the injured. In one video, two people lying close together appear to be given CPR while the crowd rushes around in confusion. Another shows a man having his trousers cut away to reveal a bleeding leg wound.
The rescue team shared images from the aftermath. A cordon surrounds an area covered in rubbish and strung with lights.
Where it happened
The Bangkok Post reported that between 8,000 and 9,000 people attended the week-long festival this year. The blast came on the second-to-last night. Umphang is the southernmost district of Tak, a northern province that borders Myanmar to the west.
