Four people were killed and scores injured by a hand grenade explosion during a concert at a religious festival in Maha Sarakham's Nadoon district early Monday, police said.
Phrathat Nadoon, Mahasarakham province (File Photo)
Pol Col Kritchai Saruamsri, superintendent of Nadoon police station in Maha Sarakham province, said police saw a man carrying a suspicious object run from a crowd of people watching a performance by Ponglang Sa-orn, a famous Isan percussion contemporary group.
As the security team approached the man, later identified as 31-year-old Winai Jed-ngam, they saw he was holding an M67 grenade with its safety pin already removed.
He dropped the grenade, it bounced off the floor and exploded.
The blast killed four men, including two police officers and two civilians, and injured about 50 others, including the man with the grenade.
Police were still investigating the motive for the attack, but believed it was part of an ongoing dispute between rival gangs in the province.
Somporn Rattanaprai, manager of Ponglang Sa-orn, said one of the band's crew members was hurt in the explosion.
Eed Ponglang Sa-orn, leader of the band, was unharmed, Mr Somporn said.