Bombs in Bangkok

At least 6 bombs went off Sunday evening in Bangkok, killing 2 people and wounding dozens more. The explosions forced Thai officials and police to cancel several New Year's celebrations in the capital and here in Chiang Mai. (There are no reports of any bombs in Chiang Mai and I am safe.)
I decided to spend New Year's Eve with Thai friends, so naturally the attacks were a big part of the discussion tonight. One interesting thing I noticed was that after I heard about the bombs, I naturally assumed it might be the work of militant Muslims. Southern Thailand has suffered through years of bombs, arson attacks, shootings and murders because of the fighting between Islamic extremist and Thai Buddhists & the Thai military. I naturally assumed the Muslims in the South were trying to send a message to government officials in Bangkok. One of the developments to come out of the recent military coup was a renewed hope of peace in the 3 provinces where the fighting has occurred. This was because former Prime Minister Thaksin took a hard line stance against the Muslims and was accused of creating policies that increased the violence and also, because the leader of the coup, a Muslim, and the interim PM were viewed as supporters of a peaceful solution for the situation (however, after several attempts by the new interim government, the violence has not subsided).
But my Thai friends took a completely different view of the situation. Most didn't say it outright, but almost all of them inferred that this could be the work of former PM Thaksin and/or his supporters. Most Westerners (especially the media) don't understand why so many Thais dislike Thaksin. The view the coup as an injustice to the former PM, but if you spend any time here, you will quickly realize that Thaksin is synonymous with corruption. There are currently many investigations into the former PM's governmental and financial actions- relating to the new airport, the selling of his communications company and much more. As each week passes, the likelihood of the current government taking action against Thaksin, his family and his cronies grows. There is a lot of talk about the government taking away a lot of his money (which he has A LOT OF). Thus, Thais are buying into a revenge scenario instigated by the former leader of this country as opposed to an Islamic show of force.
As of yet, the government doesn't know or isn't telling who is responsible, but speculation is already exploding all around Thailand.