Thailand sentences two Uyghur Chinese men to death over 2015 Bangkok bombing

Thursday 11 June 2026 - 09:00

A Thai court has sentenced two men identified as Chinese Uyghurs to death for their involvement in the 2015 bombing at Bangkok’s Erawan Shrine, the deadliest attack in the country’s modern history.

The Criminal Court in Bangkok found Yusufu Mieraili and Bilal Mohammed guilty of placing explosives at the popular religious site in the heart of the Thai capital’s commercial district. The attack, which took place on August 17, 2015, killed 20 people and injured more than 100 others, including several foreign tourists.

Judges stated that the evidence presented during the long-running trial was sufficient to prove that the defendants committed premeditated murder and attempted murder. The court ruled that the severity of the crime warranted the maximum penalty under Thai law: capital punishment.

The explosion occurred in a crowded area where worshippers and visitors had gathered, causing widespread destruction and scattering debris across the shrine’s courtyard. The incident shocked the country and had a lasting impact on Thailand’s tourism sector and national security policies.

While the two men denied the charges, the court rejected their defense and also convicted them for the primary bombing. However, they were acquitted of involvement in a second explosion that occurred in another part of Bangkok on the same day, which did not result in casualties.

The case, which has lasted nearly a decade, faced multiple delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic and translation challenges, reflecting the complexity of prosecuting transnational terrorism cases involving foreign nationals.

The attack took place shortly after Thailand’s military government deported more than 100 Uyghur detainees to China, a move that drew international criticism and human rights concerns. Analysts have suggested that the bombing may have been linked to broader geopolitical tensions involving the treatment of the Uyghur minority in China and Thailand’s diplomatic alignment with Beijing at the time.

The verdict marks a significant conclusion to one of Thailand’s most high-profile terrorism cases, though the defendants are expected to appeal the decision.