Incident Summary:
3/3/2001: A Thai International Airways Company passenger plane erupted in flames at Bangkok domestic airport in Bangkok, Thailand. The passengers had not yet boarded when the eruption occurred; however, one flight steward was killed and seven others were injured. There were several VIPs scheduled to be on board, including Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra; sources speculate that he was the intended target. Police later confirmed that the fire was caused by an explosive device that consisted of several explosive materials. No group has claimed responsibility for the incident.
Overview
GTD ID:
200103030005
When:
2001-03-03
Country:
Thailand
Region:
Southeast Asia
Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:
Bangkok
City:
Bangkok
Location Details:
Bangkok domestic airport
What
Attack Information
Type of Attack () |
Bombing/Explosion |
Successful Attack? () |
Yes |
Target Information ()
Target Type: Airports and Aircraft |
Name of Entity |
Thai airline |
Specific Description |
A Thai International Airways Company passenger plane bound for Chiang Mai |
Nationality of Target |
Thailand |
Target Type: Government (General) |
Name of Entity |
Thai government |
Specific Description |
Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra |
Nationality of Target |
Thailand |
Target Type: Private Citizens & Property |
Name of Entity |
Civilians |
Specific Description |
Civilians on board a passenger plane bound for Chiang Mai |
Nationality of Target |
Thailand |
Additional Information
Hostages |
No |
Ransom |
No |
Property Damage |
Yes |
Extent of Property Damage |
Unknown |
Value of Property Damage |
Unknown |
How
Weapon Information
Type |
Sub-type |
Explosives |
Unknown Explosive Type |
Weapon Details |
Authorities state that the bomb consisted of several different explosive materials. |
Additional Information
Suicide Attack? | No |
Part of Multiple Incident? | No |
Criterion 1 () |
Yes |
Criterion 2 () |
Yes |
Criterion 3 () |
Yes |
Doubt Terrorism Proper () |
No |
Additional Information |
Sources suggest that the bomb was placed under the seat of the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister suggests that the attack was perpetrated or aided by someone from within his inner circle; he was supposed to be on a different flight but changed planes with little notice. He speculates that only those who had access to his private schedule would know that he was on the new flight. |
Who
Perpetrator Group Information
Group Name |
Claimed Responsibility |
Unknown |
No |
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators |
Unknown |
Number of Captured Perpetrators |
0 |
Casualty Information
Total Number of Casualties |
1 Fatalities / 7 Injured |
Total Number of Fatalities |
1 |
Number of U.S. Fatalities |
0 |
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities |
0 |
Total Number of Injured |
7 |
Number of U.S. Injured |
0 |
Number of Perpetrators Injured |
0 |
Sources
Sources
"Thai passenger plane catches fire just before PM's boarding," Xinhua News Agency, March 3, 2001. |
"Police confirm bomb gutted Thai PM's plane," Agence France Presse, March 5, 2001. |
Vijay Joshi, "Prime minister says explosives found in wreckage of Thai plane," Associated Press, March 4, 2001 |
Criteria
Criteria 1
The act must be aimed at attaining a political, economic, religious, or social goal. In terms of economic goals, the exclusive pursuit of profit does not satisfy this criterion. It must involve the pursuit of more profound, systemic economic change.
Criterion 2
There must be evidence of an intention to coerce, intimidate, or convey some other message to a larger audience (or audiences) than the immediate victims. It is the act taken as a totality that is considered, irrespective if every individual involved in carrying out the act was aware of this intention. As long as any of the planners or decision-makers behind the attack intended to coerce, intimidate or publicize, the intentionality criterion is met.
Criterion 3
The action must be outside the context of legitimate warfare activities. That is, the act must be outside the parameters permitted by international humanitarian law (particularly the prohibition against deliberately targeting civilians or non-combatants.
Doubt Terrorism Proper
The existence of a "Yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper?" records reservation, in the eyes of GTD analysts, that the incident in question is truly terrorism. Such uncertainty, however, was not deemed to be sufficient to disqualify the incident from inclusion into the GTD. Furthermore, such a determination of doubt is subsequently coded by GTD analysts as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Alternate Designation
The determination of "yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper" by GTD analysts is coded as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Successful Attack
Success of a terrorist strike is defined according to the tangible effects of the attack. For example, in a typical successful bombing, the bomb detonates and destroys property and/or kills individuals, whereas an unsuccessful bombing is one in which the bomb is discovered and defused or detonates early and kills the perpetrators. Success is not judged in terms of the larger goals of the perpetrators. For example, a bomb that exploded in a building would be counted as a success even if it did not, for example, succeed in bringing the building down or inducing government repression.
Type of Attack
This field captures the general method of attack and often reflects the broad class of tactics used. It consists of the following nine categories:
- Assassination
- Armed Assault
- Unarmed Assault
- Bombing/Explosion
- Hijacking
- Hostage taking (Barricade Incident)
- Hostage taking (Kidnapping)
- Facility / Infrastructure Attack
- Unknown
Target Information
This field captures the general type of target. It consists of the following 22 categories:
- Abortion Related
- Airports & Airlines
- Business
- Government (General)
- Government (Diplomatic)
- Educational Institution
- Food or Water Supply
- Journalists & Media
- Maritime (includes Ports and Maritime facilities)
- Military
- NGO
- Other
- Police
- Private Citizens & Property
- Religious Figures/Institutions
- Telecommunication
- Terrorists
- Tourists
- Transportation (other than aviation)
- Unknown
- Utilities
- Violent Political Parties