曼谷爆炸或涉種族宗教 事態複雜化處理倍艱難

<轉載自2015年8月20日 明報 社評>

泰國曼谷炸彈爆炸事件，今日已經第4日，泰國當局除了發拼圖、懸紅追緝一名男子，對有關事件性質仍未有明確交代。綜合當局消息，儘管首相巴育稱暫難斷定是否維族人施襲，但是調查的其中一個方向，仍是循維族武裝分子報復施襲的方向展開。萬一爆炸真的涉及維族的種族與宗教等因素，事態性質就更複雜，旅客、特別是中國旅客在當地的安全，將難以保障。本港旅行社暫停出團到泰國，做法恰當，在事態未明朗化之前，當地是否適宜旅遊玩樂，值得懷疑。

泰國遣返維族惹不滿 調查爆炸循報復方向

最近幾年，泰國因為政爭，紅衫軍和黃衫軍輪番動員，經常對峙衝突，也曾經發生爆炸開槍等事端，局勢動盪。不過，當時就算接連有人投擲手榴彈等爆炸物，威力有限，並未造成大量傷亡。今次炸彈爆炸，泰國當局檢視炸彈殘骸後，認為設計製造並非南部分離勢力一貫做法，推測炸彈在外地製造居多。另外，泰國崇奉佛教，對神明廟宇侵犯或不敬，等同與民為敵，而爆炸地點在四面佛，因此當地人士認為泰國人放置炸彈的可能性不大。

爆炸之後，泰國當局翻閱閉路電視錄影，很快發現了一名穿著黃色短袖衫的男子，認為他極可能是放置炸彈的人，已經展開緝捕。從當局披露的信息，顯示掌握資料似乎不多，不過當局的調查仍有方向性，例如傾向認為可疑男子外表像中東人士，警方在維吾爾人聚居的社區調查搜捕等，顯示泰國當局對今次爆炸事件已有一定研判和想法。

去月中旬，泰國把偷渡到當地的100多名維吾爾族中國公民，移交給中國。此事在土耳其引起一些人不滿，有維族人到泰國在土耳其的使領館抗議，伊斯坦布爾的領事館因為受到衝擊，一度被迫關閉。另據泰國情報機關消息，已得知在8月11日後，可能發生針對中國旅客的襲擊，警方亦應中方要求，兩周前加強中國駐曼谷大使館的保安；基於此，當局加強了中國旅客常到的景點保安。從這些蛛絲馬迹和華人旅客喜到的四面佛發生炸彈爆炸，雖然沒有直接證據與維族報復有關，但是可以根據環境證據來推論，只是一時難以論定。若事態涉及種族與宗教因素，則性質嚴重，更難解決。

就文化、宗教和地域因素，泰國與維吾爾族應該扯不上關係。但是去年3月，泰國警方根據線報，突擊南部一處橡膠園，赫然截獲逾200名非法入境者，各種迹象顯示他們極可能是來自中國新疆的維吾爾人，偷渡到泰國只是中轉站，然後轉往其他國家，目的地包括土耳其。事實上，近年不少新疆維族人利用中南半島為出逃走廊，他們通過雲南省進入緬甸，經由陸路、水路到達泰國、柬埔寨、馬來西亞，再前往下一個目標國。無論如何，對他們的處理，泰國似乎左右為難。

據報道，這些人部分是青壯男子，他們被認為或經土耳其到叙利亞去加入「伊斯蘭國」（ISIS）。不過，在泰國發現的非法入境維族人，包括婦孺和孕婦，因此不能說他們都是去參加恐怖組織；從這些維族人的組合看來，不排除他們離開新疆還有其他目的。這樣又使事態複雜化，例如泰國發現首批維族非法入境者之後，美國即時要求泰國對「受害者」（victims）提供完整保護，保證他們得到各種人道需要，云云。美國一直藉新疆問題向中國施壓，因而使維族人在泰國成為國際政治博弈議題，泰國的處理動輒得咎。今次炸彈爆炸若與此有關，則無辜的泰國卻要為此付出沉重代價。

維族人為何離疆 北京應檢視緣由

維族人在泰國，攙雜了國際政治博弈的因素。不過，事態源頭是維族人離開新疆，投身異域；為何出現這種情况，也許目前的北京治疆政策值得檢視，若能從源頭解決問題，則下游的中南半島諸國則可免受到困擾。另外，維族人偷渡途徑，內地當局應該不難掌握，若及時堵截，也可減少維族人離疆後引發的諸多問題。

以往，一些國家的旅遊區發生炸彈爆炸，涉及恐怖分子肆虐的，大多以西方旅客為目標，可是今次曼谷四面佛炸彈爆炸，有理由相信目標是華人旅客。無論出於什麼動機目的，不管死傷者是白種人、黃種人或其他膚色的人，放炸彈傷害旅客都是人神共憤的暴力，應予最嚴厲譴責。今次事件若涉及種族宗教因素的報復，則會否從此改變國際旅遊區的「暴恐生態」，使中國人旅客成為殺害目標之一，將是更值得關注的發展，也將成為中國人走出國門、認識世界的懸念。

今次曼谷炸彈爆炸，必將重創泰國旅遊業，當地經濟也會受打擊，只能期望泰國盡快破案，緝拿兇徒歸案，藉着彰顯法治公義，重建旅客到泰國玩樂的信心。由於事態未明朗，本港旅遊業從旅客的人身安全考慮，暫停出團到泰國，是負責任而恰當的決定。當此事過去，泰國再次成為免於恐懼的國度，屆時相信會有大批旅客重臨，體驗當地的陽光海灘悠閒小日子。

Bangkok bombing might have to do with ethnicity and religion

IT has been four days since a bombing attack took place in Bangkok, Thailand. The Thai authorities have published a sketch of the suspect, and are offering a reward for anyone who can provide information leading to his arrest. However, so far they have failed to give a clear account of the incident.

In recent years, the Red Shirts and Yellow Shirts in Thailand, who are in profound political disagreement, have repeatedly mobilised their supporters and engaged in a string of confrontations and clashes. There have been bombings and gunshots, which have brought instability to the country. However, though weapons like grenades were used in these clashes, they were of limited destructive power, and did not inflict heavy casualties. As for this bombing attack, the Thai authorities have inspected the detonated bomb, saying that its design does not match that of those used by the secessionist movement in Southern Thailand. They believe that the bomb was built outside Thailand. What is more, Thailand is a Buddhist country, and those who commit blasphemy against the temples will be regarded as public enemies. As the bombing took place at a shrine dedicated to the Hindu god Brahma, people in Thailand think it is unlikely that the attack was carried out by a compatriot of theirs.

After the bombing happened, the Thai authorities combed through the CCTV footage and quickly spotted a man in a yellow short-sleeved shirt. They have launched a hunt for the man, saying it is very likely that he planted the bomb. As can be seen from what has been disclosed by the authorities, there is not much information gathered about the man. Still, the investigation is being carried out in a particular direction. The police believe that, judging from his appearance, the suspect might come from the Middle East, and are hunting for the man in some Uyghur communities. This shows that the Thai authorities have formed some opinion about the attack.

In mid-July, the Thai government deported more than 100 Uyghur illegal immigrants, all of whom are Chinese citizens, to China. The incident enraged some people in Turkey. Uyghur people demonstrated at the Thai embassy in Turkey. The consulate in Istanbul was stormed, and had to be closed temporarily. Furthermore, Thailand's intelligence agency later understood that there might be attacks targeted at Chinese tourists after 11 August. At the request of the Chinese government, the Thai police stepped up security at the Chinese embassy in Bangkok two weeks ago.

Thailand does not have a cultural, religious or geographical connection to the Uyghur people. However, in March last year, the Thai police, acting on a tip-off, raided a rubber plantation in Southern Thailand and came upon more than 200 illegal immigrants. There is every indication that those people are Uyghurs coming from Xinjiang. They regarded Thailand only as a midway point, and were to have headed to other countries like Turkey, which was one of their destinations. In fact, there have been many Uyghurs from Xinjiang in recent years who used the Indochinese Peninsula as an escape route. They travelled via Yunnan province to Myanmar, and then to Thailand, Cambodia and Malaysia by land and by water before arriving at their destinations. The Thai government seems to be at a loss to deal with these immigrants.

The Bangkok bombing is set to deal a heavy blow to Thailand's tourist industry and its economy. It is our hope that the Thai authorities will arrest the bomber as soon as possible so as to uphold the rule of law and the proper administration of justice and rebuild tourists' confidence in holidaying in Thailand.

曼谷爆炸或涉種族宗教 事態複雜化處理倍艱難

泰國曼谷炸彈爆炸事件，今日已經第4日，泰國當局除了發拼圖、懸紅追緝一名男子，對有關事件性質仍未有明確交代。

最近幾年，泰國因為政爭，紅衫軍和黃衫軍輪番動員，經常對峙衝突，也曾經發生爆炸開槍等事端，局勢動盪。不過，當時就算接連有人投擲手榴彈等爆炸物，威力有限，並未造成大量傷亡。今次炸彈爆炸，泰國當局檢視炸彈殘骸後，認為設計製造並非南部分離勢力一貫做法，推測炸彈在外地製造居多。另外，泰國崇奉佛教，對神明廟宇侵犯或不敬，等同與民為敵，而爆炸地點在四面佛，因此當地人認為泰國人放置炸彈的可能性不大。

爆炸之後，泰國當局翻閱閉路電視錄影，很快發現了一名穿著黃色短袖衫的男子，認為他極可能是放置炸彈的人，已經展開緝捕。從當局披露的信息，顯示掌握資料似乎不多，不過當局的調查仍有方向性，例如傾向認為可疑男子外表像中東人，警方在維吾爾人聚居的社區調查搜捕等，顯示泰國當局對今次爆炸事件已有一定研判和想法。

去月中旬，泰國把偷渡到當地的100多名維吾爾族中國公民，移交給中國。此事在土耳其引起一些人不滿，有維族人到泰國在土耳其的使領館抗議，伊斯坦布爾的領事館因為受到衝擊，一度被迫關閉。另據泰國情報機關消息，已得知在8月11日後，可能發生針對中國旅客的襲擊，警方亦應中方要求，兩周前加強中國駐曼谷大使館的保安。

就文化、宗教和地域因素，泰國與維吾爾族應該扯不上關係。但是去年3月，泰國警方根據線報，突擊南部一處橡膠園，赫然截獲逾200名非法入境者，各種迹象顯示他們極可能是來自中國新疆的維吾爾人，偷渡到泰國只是中轉站，然後轉往其他國家，目的地包括土耳其。事實上，近年不少新疆維族人利用中南半島為出逃走廊，他們通過雲南省進入緬甸，經由陸路、水路到達泰國、柬埔寨、馬來西亞，再前往下一個目標國。無論如何，對他們的處理，泰國似乎左右為難。

今次曼谷炸彈爆炸，必將重創泰國旅遊業，當地經濟也會受打擊，只能期望泰國盡快破案，緝拿兇徒歸案，藉着彰顯法治公義，重建旅客到泰國玩樂的信心。