firestar

Call me cynical, but if Mohamed is being dropped off in a hurry from Sathorn 10 to Asoke at 5:30 in the morning. I know of one place I would ask a few questions.

"When people will not weed their own minds, they are apt to be overrun by nettles."

Horace Walpole

I actually think that, IF the motosi driver's account is credible, that this is a valid line of inquiry.

However, I'm not certain the motosi guy can be relied upon.

There is more than one motorbike driver, it also confirms what the tuk tuk driver said to police the day before yesterday that he didn't speak Thai or English and looked "Khon Kaek". Nobody knows for sure but there is enough circumstantial evidence to at least follow that lead.

(1) I didn't realize they had a suspect. What's his name?

(2) The idea that he has fled the country presupposes that the perp is not Thai. Is this a foregone conclusion?

According to Khao Sod, Thai police have passport & immigration photos that match suspected bomber. Name matches ones in The Times article. The passport is probably a fake one but it allowed them to speak to loads of people who had contacts with him. It seems the bomber definitely wasn't thai, they says like the first taxi driver that he seemed " Khon kaek" the words Thai use for middle eastern.

http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1440239847

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Taxi drivers near sathon 10 said they saw him for a long time, he prepared the bombing well, he will have prepared his exit just as carefully.

The authorities, if he went straight to the airport, had a near impossible small window to catch him, can't blame them for that, the only thing we can blame them for is dismissing so many possibilities and flip flopping "it's not the south... it's not the uighurs....it' not international..." to try and get some political gain, spending so much effort continuously trying to make this fit in their "old clique" preferred scenario.

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" “I said: ‘I’m 100 percent sure'. They asked me some questions, but not many. It’s strange.”

Whether it's right or wrong strange that they don't bother to ask questions to their number one witness the taxi driver.

Even if it was, what's the point of keep saying it now?

So early on they should be trying to unite the nation rather than pull the blanket and make themselves the victims for political gain.

It says something is very bad in a society if a national tragedy like this, doesn't unite the country against the perpetrators.

On one hand are the denies saying 'No Thai person could ever do this', on the other, people blaming the various factions they stand against.

All of which shows that the country was in a dark downward spiral and the military are required to stop everyone from crossing over the line.

No it doesn't because the military and their political allies are the main cause of the "dark downward spiral".

That's right and the history of Thaksin Shinawatra is one of Mother Theresa and Che Guevara leading the oppressed to liberation. Fascinating to read from some of the above contributions that with the slightest whiff in the media that the terrorist attacks might be an inside job, the red apologists from old are rolling back and getting their excuses together to pin the donkey's tail of responsibility on both the military and Thai Chinese (ie we did it it, but they forced us into it) That Thaksin himself is Thai Chinese always seems to escape the cheerleaders. What is lamentable is that the sociological drivel from the original article is the type of stuff which we have to read on a regular basis 'explaining' and whitewashing terrorist attacks elsewhere in the world. In the event of further bombings we will no doubt have to endure further academic vapourings that it is the fault of the military for not implementing 'reconciliation' (and in the real world we know exactly what that means). Even if the perpetrators of the bombings turn out to be from elsewhere at least we are getting a rotten little show from the old team and their tactics from old times.

You could argue Thaksin himself is a product of the military though. The military made his fortune. It's his buddies from the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School that allowed him to get the exclusive GSM license that made him rich. It's the culture of opacity and patronage within the army that made him rich. They never would have awarded him the license if they knew how valuable it was, but who gave it, what was the bidding process, pfffft, who knows. The navy for example controls all the beaches even in places like Koh Samui, it's not the police but the navy that will "visit". it's a complete black hole. Reforming Thailand starts at the top and the top is the military.

This tragedy could have been a unique opportunity for the nation to come together.

Like France after Charlie Hebdo. Look at Bush's approval rating after 9/11. For those in power and their supporters, this tragic event was also a unique historical opportunity : petty differences aside, unite the nation behind a new common enemy. Instead we got the usual instantaneous almost gleeful red shirt did it..., Thaksin did it..., finger pointing. Prayuth himself (although he says he was misquoted ) looking towards Isaan in his very first speech post attack. If he didn't know who did it why bother mentioning Isaan at all? What does mentioning Isaan in his very first speech achieve?

And before someone comes out with "how about the other faction". Nobody apart from a few fly by posters idiot are accusing the Junta of doing this. There shouldn't be two sides. The only reason there is, is because of the all the finger pointing and innuendo .

I agree with Baerboxer. As much as I dislike the current government it is clearly obvious thst foreign investment has not decreased bit has increased since the junta took control.

https://en.santandertrade.com/establish-overseas/thailand/foreign-investment

Your reference is marketing material from a company trying to sell international investments. Bloomberg, a respected business publication, has a different view of the situation. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-07-29/post-coup-thailand-sees-economic-slump-putting-pressure-on-junta

Interesting article Brucie.

"factory output index has fallen every month but one since March 2013"

Looks like problems started under the previous government. What actions were they taking - the many cabinet reshuffles?

"A slowing China is hurting exports across the region, while Thailand’s elevated household debt is weighing on domestic consumption. To add to its woes, the country is suffering from its worst drought in more than a decade, with the brunt of the damage in agriculture, which makes up 7 percent of GDP, according to Capital Economics Ltd."

The Thai government, any Thai government, cannot be responsible for the Chinese economy, or the climate and weather issues, although they must try and manage the effects. Arguably this government managed the drought effects better than the previous government managed the floods effects.

Household debt - please tell us what polices the previous government introduced to curb household debt.

You responded with this article to a point about the levels of foreign investment. This article doesn't specifically mention the levels of foreign investment or any comparisons thereof.

Investors are usually more concerned about stability, and therefore predictability than any concerns on political persuasions or morality of those leading a country.

Here is anbother different article for you

http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2015-08-04/thailand-s-generals-don-t-have-an-economic-plan

Anyway, do you think the junta would change their entire economic team if they thought that team had done a good job? It's a common thing in business, sports, politics to replace an entire team when you believe they are performing..... It's obvious the Junta itself is not happy with how things are going, they wouldn't call upon Somkid otherwise.

But congrats you have managed to out junta the junta, where even they realize they performed poorly Baerboxer is here to the rescue.

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Police spokesman Prawut Thawornsiri told reporters late on August 19 that the suspect was a foreign man, who was overheard speaking a foreign language. Police suspect he may be a Muslim from South or Central Asia, according to South China Morning Post coverage of the press conference:

Prawut also gave a description of the suspected ethnicity of the alleged bomber, using the Thai phrase “khaek khao” – a word often used to describe light-skinned Muslims from South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East.

At midnight last night he's foreign, in the morning it's internal...what will it be in a few hours?

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The Koh Tao murders are currently tying to be swept under the carpet, the Siam BTS and Samui bomb investigations went precisely no where. This case however is a whole other ball game. The death toll of so many natives and foreigners means Prayuth HAS to act. A man comes in, drops off a bomb that murders 20 people and maims another 150 and then just walks off into the night? No dice, the world is watching General, no beating around the bush on this one.

Round up a couple of poor sods wearing Man u shirts, the mainland equivalent of Burmese, plenty of "Thaksin did it... " innuendo, a bit of finger pointing, job done, we never hear form them again. Problem here is that even more than the Ko Tao murder the eyes of the world will be on the trial and they need something more substantial.

"Foreign language, not English also," national police spokesman Prawut Thavornsiri said when asked by reporters whether a man seen leaving a backpack in the shrine minutes before Monday's deadly explosion spoke any foreign languages."

Police Statement made late last night by the national police. Someone needs to tell him to get on the Thaksin did it agenda.

What?!? The police said YESTERDAY that he was a foreign man, that the taxi heard him on the phone speaking in a language that wasn't either English or Thai

Richard Barrow Just tweeted : The suspected Bangkok Bomber didn't speak to the motorcycle taxi driver but showed him a piece of paper that said Lumpini Park in English.

and

Taxi driver told CNN Bangkok Bomber spoke a foreign language on his phone, not English. He took him to Lumpini Park:

Police just made a statement that he spoke neither Thai or English and they are also looking for two other people but will release images of them later.

Cut that selective nonsense. Taking things out of the context doesn't mean you're right. It means you're deluding yourself into believing in something which is simply not true. The side you keep making excuses for at every corner started the vicious circle of violence. Read through all of it and finally learn something about Thailand.

Descent into Chaos

Thailands 2010 Red Shirt Protests and

the Government Crackdown

http://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/thailand0511webwcover_0.pdf

Of course it's selective, that's the whole point, that the situation can't be summarized to good guys vs bad guys or compared to a terrorist act.

The fact you need a 151 page doc to explain it only further proves it.

But since you like Human Right Watch maybe you should read it yourself : "Human Rights Watch’s May 2011 report “Descent into Chaos” concluded that the military used excessive and unnecessary lethal force." "“Despite well-documented atrocities that took place in the full view of cameras and witnesses, no Thai soldier or official has been held accountable,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch."

Looks like this bloomberg columnist had it right after all

http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2015-08-04/thailand-s-generals-don-t-have-an-economic-plan

Somkid Jatusripitak better known as Thaksin Shinawatra's deputy prime minister and finance minister to the rescue

But wait... according to some here weren't Thaksin's chums all incompetents who ruined Thailand....

Who mentioned terrorism?? And why do you always leave out what was said before my post?

Again, I'm not sure you comprehend anything.

THIS thread is about terrorism. The whole conversation is about yesterday's bombing.... terrorism.

Also, I quoted your whole post, there's a limit on quotes to make this forum readable, if I didn't do that we'd already be way over the limit.

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Many red/black shirts had war weapons and used it to kill people. This is proven. They were violent and had no problem burning down buildings. Which is proven too. Therefore they could have done this too (don't say they did). So what was your point again?

Oh yes I remember what your point was. It's the army's fault... Not their leaders or Thaksin who have openly stated that the red shirt should fight the army. Remember Thaksin's famous words.. Start fighting with the army. I am very near to Thailand and can be there any moment to help you. Pfff

Huh?!?

You have comprehension problems.

The whole point is that the situation was very different from simple terrorism. But you're not interested in that, you just want everything to fit in your ultra-bias agenda.

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I have wasted enough time correcting guys like you. I won't do it again. If interested you can go through my posting history. Dozens of post related to red/black shirt violence and killings.

It isn't an opinion. it's a BBC witness. just like this one :

"Paul told the BBC he had been in a crowd of protesters when he saw a man of about 50 being shot in the chest as he waved a flag from a pick-up truck."... men in black.... men in black...

Or Fabio Polenghi an Italian Journalist who was shot DEAD in the back while running away.. men in black... men in black... except it has since been proven and ruled by the criminal court that he was shot by an army high velocity bullet coming from where the army was stationed. Wearing journalist vest and arm band, moving and shot in the BACK.

Did you correct that?

You see when someone has the means to pursue a proper investigation we find out it wasn't the evil red shirts or men in black who shot but oddly enough we don't hear much about it

You are right about one thing it isn't the place, then again I'm not the one who brought it up.

I don't think the reds did it. As I said in another topic, I doubt they would have the combined intelligence to pull it off.

And anyway, what would they or their puppeteer get out of it ?

The Reds were ready to burn Bangkok down to the ground because they couldn't get what they wanted.. I don't know...

Or maybe it was because they were being shot at by snipers....

The army were firing live rounds on civilians. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it myself

From the police sketch... I think he looks Asian....do you agree?

Asian eyes on foreigner face... keeping their options open.... he could be anything

If he's Thai or Chinese he must have been working on that stubble for a month ....

Well they said it could be a wig, so the stubble could be glued on pubes, basically..... they have no idea.

Is it on purpose that they release a sketch of someone that has no identifiable race, skin color, features....?

Then again if it's a foreigner he's long gone, best to keep their options open so fingers can be pointed at someone, anyone, and get some political gain out of this.

Foreigners could certainly assemble and place the bomb, but acquiring the ingredients to make the bomb would need local help. For example, if I walked into my local shop and asked for 1kg each of 6mm and 8mm ball bearings, I'd get a strange look. If I added, oh and a few kilos of C4, then I'd being enjoying the hospitality of my local police station.

Remember the Iranians with the backpack, one blew his own leg the other was back in Malaysia the next day?

Bearings can be bought everywhere, explosives easily by anyone with contacts in malaysia or cambodia.

Foreigners can do this alone, easily, the border is so porous. but if you can't find the real culprits why not round up a few Thai so they can at least get some political and not lose face?

"Foreigners couldnt commit this act alone. There has to be Thai people, who are not Thais at heart, lending assistance to the crime."

Of course because foreigners alone would not only be bad for the economy but there's no political gain to be had, can't have that. Need two poor sods in a Man U shirt to point fingers at. We'll never hear from them again, never know their side of the story but at least some political gain can be had out of this tragedy.

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