[Update: A second bomb in a week exploded in Bangkok Friday. ]
One person was killed and eight injured when a homemade bomb exploded at a bus stop in downtown Bangkok on Sunday at 5:45 p.m. local time, reported the Bangkok Post. Police told local media that the bomb was left in a black plastic shopping bag at a bus stop in front of Big C Ratchadamri.Big C is in the same central shopping area as Central World and Siam Square that was besieged by red shirt protesters for nearly six weeks in April and May.
The blast occurred just as polling was ending in the first election since the violent standoff between the government and anti-government red shirts—formally known as United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD).
The by-election is seen as the first big approval test for the government after months of protests brought the country to a standstill. Violent clashes between government forces and red shirt protesters earlier this year caused 88 deaths and thousands of injured.
The closely watched Bangkok by-election ran in parallel to recent politics. It pitted ruling Democrat Party candidate Panich Vikitsrethlong against a key red shirt leader, Kokaew Pikulthong, who ran the campaign from his jail cell. So far Kokaew has not been convicted of any crime, but he is facing charges of terrorism.
According to exit polls, Panich is set to win with about 53 percent of the vote.
