Thai court to rule in long-delayed Bangkok bombing case

A long-delayed verdict is expected on June 11 from a Thai court regarding the deadly 2015 bombing at a Bangkok shrine.

The attack at the Erawan Hindu shrine killed 20 people and wounded more than 100, making it the country's deadliest bombing. Two Uyghur men, Yusufu Mieraili and Bilal Mohammed, stand accused of planting the explosives, though they have denied the charges.

The trial, which began in 2016, has been plagued by delays, including issues with securing translators and disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic. One suspect, a Thai woman named Wanna Suansan, was arrested in 2017 but later acquitted in 2024.

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I have not heard about it.

The bombing occurred weeks after Thailand forcibly repatriated 109 Uyghurs to China. This timing fueled speculation that the attack was a revenge plot against Thailand, which had been a transit point for Uyghurs fleeing persecution. Rights groups accuse China of widespread human rights abuses against the Muslim minority in Xinjiang.

Despite the case's significance, tourists at the Erawan Shrine on June 8 expressed little awareness of the ongoing legal proceedings.

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It’s nice to come here to pray.