In pics: Bangkok's heart hit by bomb blast

A motorcycle bomb exploded near Erawan Shrine in central Bangkok on Monday evening, killing over a dozen people and injuring several others. Here are the first pictures of the blast site tweeted by eyewitnesses present near the shrine in central Bangkok

A motorcycle bomb exploded near Erawan Shrine in central Bangkok on Monday evening, killing over a dozen people and injuring several others.

A policeman photographs debris from an explosion in central Bangkok in Thailand on Monday. The large explosion rocked a central Bangkok intersection during the evening rush hour, killing at least three people and injuring 25 others, police said. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

"All I can say now is there has been an explosion in central Bangkok involving a motorcycle bomb," deputy national police chief Aek Angsananond told Reuters.

The Erawan shrine, on a busy corner near top hotels, shopping centres and offices, is a major tourist attraction, especially for visitors from East Asia. Many ordinary Thais also worship there.

A tweet by Bob James, a sub-editor with Bangkok Post Digital Media, said the police believed most of the people injured were foreign tourists.

Here are the first pictures tweeted by people present at the blast site.

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Motorcycles are strewn in Bangkok on Monday after a large explosion rocked a central Bangkok intersection during the evening rush hour, killing a number of people and injuring others, police said. (AP Photo/Jerry Harmer)

Debris lies on the pavement after an explosion in Bangkok on Monday after a large explosion rocked a central Bangkok intersection during the evening rush hour, killing a number of people and injuring others, police said. (AP Photo/Sackchai Lalit)