BANGKOK, Thailand -- Jittery and suspicious residents and tourists are
trying to enjoy the tropical pleasures of this sprawling river port,
but with no evidence about who is bombing Bangkok or why, many people
fear more danger ahead.

The coup-installed military regime which seized power in May 2014 is
suddenly unable to continue its stilted propaganda boasts that the
junta is "bringing happiness to the people" by making the country safe
and secure.

"A girl who works in my bank was killed in the bombing," a
white-collar executive said softly.

The worried executive displayed a photo on her iPhone of a smiling
young woman who now had a red heart drawn around her as a funeral
memorial.

"At work, my friends just talk about who they think did it, and they
spend their time looking on Internet for updates," she said.

"I'm afrain, river ferry passengers ran screaming for their lives after
someone tossed a hand grenade toward a pier along Bangkok's majestic
Chao Phraya river.

The grenade just missed a busy passenger footbridge and splashed into the water.

No one was injured, but the explosion forced a huge volcanic volume of
water into the air, drenching everyone nearby.

The ferry pier is popular with tourists and residents who can climb
aboard motorized boats to cross the river, or travel north or south
along its wide meandering route to other piers and towns.

Monday's horrific pipe bomb blast, several miles away at a Hindu
shrine thronged with worshippers and tourists, killed at least 22
people and wounded more than 120 others.

Thousands of security forces on Tuesday cautiously took up positions
throughout Bangkok, but most of this modern capital appeared
relatively relaxed and normal.

Thailand's U.S.-trained and equipped intelligence agencies, armed
forces, police and other personnel are following basic clues such as
CCTV video of the bomb attacks on Monday and Tuesday, talking to taxi
drivers and eyewitnesses, and asking the public to report suspicious
individuals.

Authorities published blurry photographs Tuesday of a pale-skinned
young man who appeared to have bushy brownish hair and wore shorts
with a yellow T-shirt.

Police said he was their main suspect because he appeared on CCTV
video to have brought a black backpack into the shrine's open
courtyard and departed without it.

Coup leader Prayuth Chan-ocha, who awarded himself absolute power when
he took over the prime ministry and retired as army chief last year,
appeared on Tuesday to have no hard evidence proving who was launching
the unprecedented attacks.

But the results appear obvious and unavoidable.

The bloodshed's devastating effect is expected to soon impact
Thailand's lucrative tourism industry, which was one of the few money
makers not flattened by junta's lack of economic experience.

Upcoming tourists' cancellations are expected to cause losses for
countless hotels, restaurants, flights, light industries, the service
sector and others who profit from foreign visitors.

The two bomb attacks were several miles away from each other.

But they both aimed for Bangkok's softest targets in an apparent
effort to cripple the travel industry and prove the military regime
was helpless to defend its own capital.

Some people voiced complaints Tuesday that Bangkok's traditionally lax
security at public transportation stations had not been increased
despite the bombings.

On Bangkok's public elevated monorail Skytrain transport system, one
foreign resident said he experienced "zero bag search" during his
morning and evening commutes.

City workers meanwhile scrubbed the streets around Monday's attack,
washing away blood and the explosion's debris.

In a terse, brief appearance during a nationwide government-controlled
TV broadcast Tuesday, Mr. Prayuth appeared worn, distraught and
perplexed.

"There is still a group of individuals in our country who harbor and
carry out their ill wishes against the nation," Mr. Prayuth said
without identifying them.

"They aim to score political gain, or to destroy our economy, or
tourism, or are driven by other motives," he said, indicating his
junta did not know who was bombing Bangkok or why.

"As for foreigners living in Thailand -- including embassies,
consulates, and international organizations -- the government would
like to assure you that we will take care of your safety, your lives,
property and interests, with the utmost effort and we will keep you
informed of the news."

Referring to Monday's bloody assault in the heart of Bangkok, he told
reporters on Tuesday, "Today we have seen the closed-circuit footage,
we saw some suspects, but it was not clear. We have to find them
first."