Bombs rattle Bangkok during ASEAN summit, wounding two
Bangkok: At least two small bombs exploded in Bangkok on Friday, rattling the Thai capital as it hosted a regional summit attended by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and leaving two people wounded.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha was told of "the bombing incidents and has ordered an immediate investigation", Thai government spokeswoman Narumon Pinyosinwat said, adding "security measures have been tightened.
The public is urged not to panic." Two women were wounded in one explosion just outside the city centre, the Erawan Emergency Centre told AFP.
A second explosion shattered glass near a well known downtown skyscraper, emergency police added.
Bomb disposal experts were deployed around the Mahanakorn Tower -- owned by the King Power group that counts Leicester City football club among its assets.
There were unconfirmed reports of several other devices being found across the city. The bombings took place just before a keynote speech by Pompeo, who has joined the Southeast Asian Foreign Ministers meeting. The government urged the media to avoid speculation on the motive for the bombings.
The blasts come weeks after former junta leader Prayut was inaugurated as a civilian prime minister, sparking outcry among many pro-democracy supporters in the deeply politically divided kingdom.
The incidents raise the uncomfortable memory of Thailand's last hosting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2009.
Then, protesters from the pro-democracy "red shirt" faction smashed their way into the summit venue in the resort city of Pattaya demanding elections.
Pandemonium ensued, with a number of leaders having to be rescued from a hotel roof by Thai army helicopters while others fled by boat.
Thailand has a long history of political violence linked to mass protests, coups and short-lived governments. (AFP)
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Integrity of electoral process severely compromised, Cong to soon launch movement: CWC
New Delhi (PTI): The Congress Working Committee met here on Friday and adopted a resolution alleging the integrity of the entire electoral process was being severely compromised against which the party would soon launch a movement.
In the resolution of the top body of the Congress, the party said free and fair elections is a Constitutional mandate that was being called into "serious question by the partisan functioning of the Election Commission".
The CWC, which met amid the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament, said the session has been a washout so far because of the Narendra Modi government's "stubborn refusal" to have an immediate discussion on three pressing national issues -- "the recent revelations regarding corruption by a business group, and the violence in Manipur and Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal".
Asked why the Congress Working Committee (CWC) resolution does not name the business group, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said, "The answer is the Adani group".
"The CWC believes the integrity of the entire electoral process is being severely compromised. Free and fair elections is a Constitutional mandate that is being called into serious question by the partisan functioning of the Election Commission.
"Increasing sections of society are becoming frustrated and deeply apprehensive. The Congress will take these up these public concerns as a national movement," the resolution stated.
Addressing a joint press conference along with Ramesh and Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera, party general secretary, organisation, K C Venugopal said the party discussed the political situation in the country for four-and-half hours and adopted the resolution.
He said the CWC has decided to constitute internal committees to look into electoral performance and organisational matters.
About the Assembly polls results in Maharashtra, Venugopal said the electoral outcome in the state was "beyond normal understanding and it appears to be a clear case of targeted manipulation".
