A BORDER woman who works just six kilometres from the fatal blast in Bangkok doesn’t feel like her safety has been threatened.
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Albury’s Christina Lunt has been in Bangkok for work for just over a month and on Tuesday she made contact with family and friends to let them know she was safe after a bomb exploded on Monday about 6.30pm local time, 8.30pm AEST.
The blast at Erawan Shrine, just near Ratchaprasong Junction, killed at least 21 people and injured more than 120.
Ms Lunt, who works as an intern at an international organisation, said she was at home during the explosion.
“I was too far to hear anything but I was alerted by text message to what was thought to be a taxi on fire, with possible sounds of explosion, and to avoid that part of town,” she said.
“And then a friend in Nairobi messaged me to check I was safe because she’d just read about it online and then work implemented its emergency communications procedure to check all staff were safe.”
Ms Lunt said the blast occurred close to major shopping centres and markets.
“It’s quite busy at night,” she said.
“All the streets will have small stalls set up alongside them, with Siam BTS (station) being the main stop.”
Ms Lunt said on Tuesday the train to work wasn’t as busy as usual and schools had been closed.
“I assume people are either finding alternate ways to work, are at home looking after the kids or are just staying low for a little bit,” she said.
“I was able to see the site of the bomb from the train and the road is still blocked off and covered in debris.
“It just looked very quiet and empty with what looked like pieces of white debris scattered across the road.”
Ms Lunt said while the explosion was surreal, she did not feel as if the country was unsafe.
“Aside from this event, I think Thailand is one of the safest countries I have been to,” she said.
Ms Lunt hoped to help those affected by the blast.
“It was reported that they were desperate for blood donations,” she said.
Ms Lunt hoped the blast would not deter people from visiting Thailand in the future.
“Whilst it is incredibly sad and unfortunate that it has happened, it so far seems to be an unexpected event without there being any word of any additional threats,” she said.
