22 Bombs Set Off In Thai Banks (Updated)

Two days ago. Am I the only one who missed this?

From the LA Times:

BANGKOK, Thailand — At least 22 bombs exploded almost simultaneously Thursday at banks in southern Thailand, killing one person and wounding 27. Four suspects were arrested and officials today were searching for more people visible on security videotapes.

Twenty-eight people hurt is twenty-eight too many, but I'm amazed that the number was that low. Seems like there was potential for this to have been a whole lot worse.

Deputy Prime Minister Chitchai Wannasathit said in Bangkok that authorities had learned that Muslim rebels were planning to launch a major attack Thursday to coincide with the national day of Malaysia and the founding day of Bersatu, believed to be an umbrella group for a number of rebel groups fighting the Bangkok government...It wasn't immediately clear why the insurgents would stage the attack to coincide with a celebration of Malaysia's independence from Great Britain.

It's not immediately clear to me why anyone still thinks these guys need a reason for anything.

Here's the thing: My news gathering habits aren't as thorough as they probably could be, but I've spent a fair amount of time over the last couple days surfing around, and a link posted yesterday at Pajamas Media was the first I heard of this. A search on the New York Times' website for "thailand bank bombing", looking for stories from the past week, turned up exactly zero results (And, to be fair, Fox News didn't seem to be too concerned either).

Violent incidents — including bombings, shootings and beheadings — occur nearly every day.

Major media coverage of such events apparently doesn't.

Isn't twenty-two bombs going off simultaneously a pretty big deal, regardless of where it happens?

Update: Gray Dunhall takes me to task in the comments. Apparently I was the only one who missed this. He points out that the Washington Post, BBC, Times of London, and the Boston Globe, among others, carried it.

posted by AndrewR at 11:15 AM

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