CCTV video posted on Facebook appears to show the moment a huge explosion struck Bangkok, causing the deaths of at least twelve people in the Thai capital.
Local media said the blast happened in Ratchaprasong, a road intersection and shopping district near the Erawan Shrine.
In the video, a flash of bright orange can be seen in the distance, with pedestrians along the pavement instantly turning around and fleeing from near to where the explosion appears to have occurred.
A woman and what looks like her children are seen running along the street, with two of them falling to the ground as they try to escape the blast area. Debris of some sort falls onto road a few seconds after the blast, causing cars to come to a halt.
The Thai national police chief told Reuters India it had been caused by a bomb but no further details were immediately available. Bangkok Bombing
Photos posted online showed car windows smashed and debris littering the streets as the area was cordoned off by emergency services.
#BREAKING Several injuries reported as blast hits a commercial center in Bangkok on Monday evening pic.twitter.com/yGW146NCIW
— CCTVNEWS (@cctvnews) August 17, 2015
Additional reporting by Reuters
