Tourism and demonstrations in Bangkok had been kept very separate. While tourists from all over the world enjoy the lively Thai city and continue to do their sightseeing, dine in restaurants and enjoy the famous nightlife, a short distance away from normality, an explosive device was thrown in to a truck driven by anti-government protestors.

Most likely this was a sensational act to cause widespread fear and aggravation.

Certainly it was a development that raises tensions in the country’s political crisis and the specter of more bloodshed to come.

The protest movement’s own Bluesky television channel said the number of wounded could be as many as 28.

Protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban was in the procession but was not wounded when the explosive device was thrown into a truck driven by demonstrators that was several dozen meters (yards) ahead, spokesman Akanat Promphan said. The city’s emergency services center put the number of injured at 31.

Police said the grenade was thrown from a nearby building.