Some 15 Military Officers, Civilians Detained For Questioning Over Bangkok Bombings

[ColPyat]

Of the scenarios here look at it from a distance and seeing the big picture as to what look to make the most sense.

Colpyat’s scenario would suggest that bombs used to disrupt the government in a form of protest of anger. If there are factions like he suggests then the logical action would be to stage another coup and not just set off some bombs.

Well, Sherlock, and the possibility of a corrective coup by hardliners within the junta is the talk of the town since about two weeks after the coup.

But, please, don't just start thinking about that big picture yet before you got over your confusion with all these names, and these irrelevant associations...

[John K]

Of the scenarios here look at it from a distance and seeing the big picture as to what look to make the most sense.

Colpyat’s scenario would suggest that bombs used to disrupt the government in a form of protest of anger. If there are factions like he suggests then the logical action would be to stage another coup and not just set off some bombs.

Well, Sherlock, and the possibility of a corrective coup by hardliners within the junta is the talk of the town since about two weeks after the coup.

But, please, don't just start thinking about that big picture yet before you got over your confusion with all these names, and these irrelevant associations...

I agree there has been the talk of another coup, but a coup has identified targets and not the random cowardly act of a bomber. Two completely different styles and objectives.

[ColPyat]

I agree there has been the talk of another coup, but a coup has identified targets and not the random cowardly act of a bomber. Two completely different styles and objectives.

I am getting a bit tired of explaing this to you. Better go to this link:

http://bangkokpundit.blogspot.com/

or this one:

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/webblog/home.php?uid=321

[John K]

I agree there has been the talk of another coup, but a coup has identified targets and not the random cowardly act of a bomber. Two completely different styles and objectives.

I am getting a bit tired of explaing this to you. Better go to this link:

http://bangkokpundit.blogspot.com/

or this one:

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/webblog/home.php?uid=321

I only had time to quickly skim the first link, I will see if I have more time later today. But what I read so far in that one blog is a fair representation of news. There are a few thing in there that I want to point out now before my day gets underway.

The blog makes mention of bogus political undercurrents. I find them to be there. The discontentment people are airing is by word of mouth and not necessarily generated by the media. As I fully understand how the power of suggestion works, the suggestion of discontentment is being spread by word of mouth. As people often don’t have an expert opinion as they are not experts the will tend to fall behind a person who at least projects leadership and knowing or provides the suggestion of I am better for you. This suggestion continues to grow as more and more people talk about it much like a snowball rolling down a hill gathering mass. This by no means is a new strategy as history has shown time and time again. That is how Hitler came to power as well as some very good and honorable people. It in fact is very much like sheep mentality. Simply most people want to feel secure behind a good leader.

http://www.livescience.com/animalworld/ap_...eep_deaths.html

the bombs are part of that undercurrent. Unfortunately for Thailand the bulk of the people who want power do so for self serving reasons and not to move the country forward.

The government is on track with what it said it was going to do. Any censorship is directed at Thaksin, his cronies, and people who would look to disrupt the government (undercurrents). Seeing as how the King endorsed this I for one will follow his leadership on this. There is no doubt in my mind all he does is for the good of Thailand. Let the new government do it’s job and don’t criticize work that is not finished.

The bombs no matter what theory you follow are simply a test and part of that undercurrent that has now surfaced.

[hammered]

Personally I prefer to wait and see what happens on this one. No politcal bombing in Thailand has ever been solved. This may be a first although we should await the hard evidence and court convictions that similarly some of us expect before believing Mr. T guilty of corruption etc. I actually welcome Gen. Sonthi's statement on no scapegoats. People actually died in this bombing and their families deserve real justice.

All of us armchair pundits can come up with our theories but we are only backing our favorite horse without evidence.

[Plus]

The people being arrested include persons attached formally in some cases, informally in others, to one of Taksin's most formidable enemies.

Same people that were involved in the fake bomb fiasco? Pallop had nothing to do with the Thaksin bomb. He was framed, and sacked in less than two hours.

In both cases the bombs benefitted Thaksin, btw, not his enemies.

[Jai Dee]

Thailand says detains 18 over bombings

Eighteen soldiers and civilians have been detained for questioning over possible involvement in bombings on New Year's Eve which killed three people in Bangkok, a Thai army general said on Monday.

The men, taken from locations in Bangkok and army units in nearby provinces over the weekend, are in police or military custody, Lieutenant-General Prayudh Janocha told a Bangkok radio station.

"They have been invited to provide information because the police investigation has learned that they might have known something about the bombs," said Prayudh, commander of the Thai army's central region.

More people would be questioned, Prayudh said without giving further details.

The 18 were detained under martial law rules which demand they be charged within a week or freed, he said.

Immediately after the bombings the military-appointed government said politicians who had lost power were suspected of being behind the bombs.

Most Thais interpreted the claims as implicating Thaksin Shinawatra, ousted as prime minister by the military on Sept. 19.

Thaksin, a former senior policemen turned telecommunications tycoon who had allies in both the army and police, has denied any connection to the bombs.

Prayudh confirmed Thai newspapers reports that some of the detained soldiers were from the Special Forces.

Police have not yet officially released the names of the detained men, but Sonthi said on Sunday people from "four colours," referring to the army, navy, air force and police, were involved in the bombs.

Source: Reuters - 22 January 2007

[Prakanong]

Yeah - Thaksin did it all

He was behind the Guy Fawkes Plot and 9/11 too if some paranoid Johnny Come Lately's to Thailand are to be believed too

Edited January 22, 2007 by Prakanong

[Plus]

Not Thaksin but people who lost power after he was ousted.

[Tony Clifton]

Not Thaksin but people who lost power after he was ousted.

[astral]

It is a start, but I am not sure I hold out much hope that anything will come of it.

What happened to the earlier report that Jemmah Ismalia are involved..............

All very contradictory.

[pumpuiman]

You can't believe any of this bull. These guys are obvious spin doctors(although terrible at it)

They cannot be trusted to conduct any investigation.

Return the power to Thailand's people with fair internationally monitored elections.

Apparently we here at Thaivisa are under martial law as well. My original post has been edited....just as the current dictators are editing media.

A sad and dangerous situation.

[sriracha john]

[John K]

NEW YEAR BOMBS SCAPEGOATS WARNING

Kowit grim-faced after talks with PM

PRADIT RUANGDIT WASSAYOS NGAMKHAM WASSANA NANUAM

National police chief Pol Gen Kowit Wattana had an unscheduled meeting with Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont yesterday after receiving a cool reception from the Council for National Security (CNS) over the arrest of suspects in the New Year bombings.

The two spent more than 40 minutes together before Pol Gen Kowit left Government House with a grim face. He declined to make any comment.

Before Pol Gen Kowit's meeting with the prime minister, CNS chairman Gen Sonthi Boonyaratkalin had warned police against arresting scapegoats for the New Year bombings, and said the national police chief would be held responsible for any mistakes in the investigation.

Other CNS members questioned the credibility of the police information leading to the arrest of 18 suspects in raids on several locations on Saturday.

The prime minister said he ordered the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) to take part in the investigation of the New Year blasts in Bangkok and neighbouring Nonthaburi to ensure fairness.

Asked what he would do if the police investigation team had made mistakes and the police chief was held responsible as Gen Sonthi warned, the prime minister said he would base his decision on reasoning and evidence rather than emotion.

''The police chief told me himself those arrested were just suspects,'' Gen Surayud said. But the prime minister wanted the investigation to be carried out carefully.

A police source revealed a police plan to arrest two more groups of suspects. One is a militant group that had been involved in bomb attacks in the deep South. Another is a group of military officers suspected of being hired to take part in the bombings.

The investigation team insisted that none of the suspects would be scapegoats as the inquiry was a joint police-military operation, said the source.

Among the 18 arrested suspects, 13 are military officers and five are civilians. The civilian suspects are in police custody at the Crime Suppression Division and the military suspects are detained at their respective military units, the source said.

The investigation team had only detained the 18 suspects for questioning. Police have not pressed charges against any of them, said the source.

The source added certain evidence collected from some suspects' houses could be linked to evidence from the bomb blasts on the night of Dec 31, and the explosions at the residence of Privy Council president Prem Tinsulanonda, at the Justice Ministry, at the Democrat party headquarters and at the Santi Asoke monastery.

All 18 suspects were also connected to two senior military officers known as ''Se Muk'' and ''Maj-Gen M,'' the source said.

CNS assistant secretary-general Gen Anupong Paochinda yesterday echoed Gen Sonthi's warning against scapegoats.

The CNS has asked the First Army to send judge advocates to take part in the police interrogation, which is normal procedure, he said. The detained military officers are being held at the First Army's facilities in Bangkok and Lop Buri.

Source bangkok Post

[John K]

I find this very interesting in what the underlying message is.

[Prakanong]

I am a bit confused with all the names so please tell me if I am seeing this right.

Essentially and assuming the bombs were set by pro Thaksin people, it is the anti Thaksin people that are now getting arrested by the police that are still in Thaksin’s pocket? Is this a correct statement?

Yes you are confused.

[Prakanong]

I am a bit confused with all the names so please tell me if I am seeing this right.

Essentially and assuming the bombs were set by pro Thaksin people, it is the anti Thaksin people that are now getting arrested by the police that are still in Thaksin’s pocket? Is this a correct statement?

It might be if your assumptions had a basis in truth- which it looks increasingly like they don't. The people being arrested include persons attached formally in some cases, informally in others, to one of Taksin's most formidable enemies. To people who may believe that this regime is way too liberal and that democracy has no place in the Kingdom. Dhammocracy is more to their liking. Maybe. I don't know. Do your own searches. Go back to the initial attempt on Taksin's life and - take it from there. Backwards and forwards. Start with the assumption that usually the correct answer is the most obvious. Though not nescessarily the one that confirms our prejudices. And not nescessarily the simplist.

But expect this to be spun to link Taksin, JI, decadent American pop culture, foreign superstores, George Soros and irredentist Burmese royalists.

I don't know- maybe it was Takky. Maybe it wasn't. Follow the threads posted by Younghusband, Colpyat etc that refer to the intricate web of competing 'elites' - study modern Thai history (it didn't begin with Taksin)- have fun.

Excellent post - some Johnny come Lately's on here think Thai history started with Thaksin

[slimdog]

'Bombers want to discredit govt, CNS'

Those behind Bangkok bombings were the groups of people wishing to discredit the government and the Council for National Security, said former Internal Security Operations Command deputy leader Pallop Pinmanee.

also:

Gen Pallop's aide, Maj Manas Sukprasert, was among the suspects in the series of bombings. However, Gen Pallop said Maj Manas was a scapegoat in the case

Full story: http://www.bangkokpost.net/breaking_news/b...s.php?id=116232

[hammered]

I agree there has been the talk of another coup, but a coup has identified targets and not the random cowardly act of a bomber. Two completely different styles and objectives.

I am getting a bit tired of explaing this to you. Better go to this link:

http://bangkokpundit.blogspot.com/

or this one:

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/webblog/home.php?uid=321

Hi Colpyat

While I usually respect the links you give. It should also be pointed out that any long term reader of Bangkok Pundit will realise that while the writer is amusing and woth a read, the writer has a very bias slant in the writings. They also are mostly filled with assumptions and conjecture ( that do follow a particular line) drawn from reading between the lines of selected news reports pretty much as happens on here or any general personal opinion blog. Bangkok Pundit also tends to be somewhat selective in what is included or rejected. One wonders why in a piece so long on the bombs that the statements of Khunying Pornthip who is Thailands top forensic scientitst and Thailands only forensic scietntist of international reputation were ignored. She seemed to exclude southern separatists based on forensic examination of the explosives and she was highly critical of the police destruction of evidence. Maybe this didnt fit with the writers theory. Additionally cetain background information that most Thai people seem to know about General Chavalit is excluded as his supreme power is stressed. Personally I wouldnt rate the opinions of this writer as having any more worth than those of many posters on here even though I have found I agree with some of them (not all). Avudh seems to concentrate more on what the writer knows or has some extra information on, which is exposed by Bangkok Pundit drawing heavily on the Avudh piece.

Then again of course this is only my opinion based on reading and forming my opinions pretty much in the same way Bangkok Pundit does. However, I felt it needed saying if BP were going to be linked as an authorative source.

[Plus]

Blogs can't replace journalism although you can get some info for some reasons not published in the mainstream media.

Avudh checks out as his blog is hosted by the Nation.

[ColPyat]

Then again of course this is only my opinion based on reading and forming my opinions pretty much in the same way Bangkok Pundit does. However, I felt it needed saying if BP were going to be linked as an authorative source.

At the moment it's all conjecture and speculation. The reason i listed his site in this context is mainly to show different theories existing, and not just John K's assumption that only Thaksin could have done it. Of course on the bombs BP is not the authorative source, and everything so far is conjecture and speculation.

I am just getting tired that everything evil in Thailand is constructed towards Thaksin's doing even when he clearly wasn't it, or when there are other perfectly logical explanations.

[Mlady]

All was too confusing for me... Now a little less. Who is Bad Who is Good. Every one has so many things to say, I think I'll never get a grip on all the layers, and layers, and layers.

[thai_narak]

Some 15 military officers, civilians detained for questioning over Bangkok bombings

BANGKOK: -- About 100 commando police raided 18 areas in Bangkok and other central provinces and detained some 15 military officers and civilians for questioning regarding the Bangkok bomb attacks on New Year's Eve.

Police sources the 15 persons were not charged yet but were detained under the martial law.

The raids in Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Lop Buri, Nakhon Pathom, and Suphan Buri took place at about 6 am.

The sources said the detained persons included Lt Col Suchart Khadsungnone, an officer of the Special Warfare Command from Lop Buri and Pipop Juengluang-on, 50, the organiser of a van passenger service in Bang Bon district as well as Col Surapol Supradit.

-- The Nation 2007-01-20

A familiar name from the past or just coincidence?

From The Nation Septermber 30, 2006:

Car-bomb suspects get bail

Three Army suspects in the alleged plot to assassinate caretaker prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra with a car bomb were released on bail yesterday.

Sgt-Major Chakhrit Janthana, the only suspect police said had been cooperative in their investigation, was freed from military custody in Nakhon Pathom but was still under the protection of Crime Suppression Division (CSD) police at Chokechai Soi 4.National Police chief General Kowit Wattana had reportedly given investigators permission to drop Chakhrit as a suspect and treat him as a key state witness. CSD commander Maj-General Winai Thongsong confirmed nvestigators had reached a consensus to exclude Chakhrit as a suspect.

Police will soon complete their probe, leaving Chakhrit out, and recommend prosecution of the four other suspects, although the exact charges against them have not been decided.

Also released were Lieutenant Thawatchai Klinchana and Colonel Surapol Supradit. Thawatchai was arrested on the morning of August 24 while driving a Daewoo sedan loaded with explosives under the Bang Plat flyover, where the vehicle was intercepted.

Surapol was alleged to be the buyer of the sedan and a key operative in the car-bomb attack. Thawatchai posted bail worth Bt500,000. He was required to report to the Bangkok Military Court on October 11. The value of Suraphol's bail was not known.

Lt-Colonel Manas Sukprasert is now the only suspect still in military detention.

I still think that the "plot to assassinate Thaksin" with a car bomb was a Pro-Thaksin setup, trying to get compassion votes, Colonel Surapol Supradit was one of the "actors" then and is still is.

Many educated Thais believed that this is the case...

[John K]

Then again of course this is only my opinion based on reading and forming my opinions pretty much in the same way Bangkok Pundit does. However, I felt it needed saying if BP were going to be linked as an authorative source.

At the moment it's all conjecture and speculation. The reason i listed his site in this context is mainly to show different theories existing, and not just John K's assumption that only Thaksin could have done it. Of course on the bombs BP is not the authorative source, and everything so far is conjecture and speculation.

I am just getting tired that everything evil in Thailand is constructed towards Thaksin's doing even when he clearly wasn't it, or when there are other perfectly logical explanations.

Thaksin is not the only person please don’t get me wrong. What I look at is events that match his style, and this tends to be very close and if you think about it somewhat predictable. Thaksin has a lot to lose if he can’t take control so saying he is very motivated is probably an understatement. There is the chance that others could copy his style to more or less divert attention so I do consider that. Start looking at all the other pieces of the puzzle like suddenly in the news and using the bombs as an excuse and you will see why I feel he is the most likely person behind this. His signature is not to be there when things happen but then talk about them later in his favor. Another signature of his is to be totally opposite in what he says to what the truth is. There is no doubt he is attempting to lower the government in the eyes of the people simply because he can’t put himself up in the eyes of the people.

[BkkPundit]

They also are mostly filled with assumptions and conjecture ( that do follow a particular line) drawn from reading between the lines of selected news reports pretty much as happens on here or any general personal opinion blog. Bangkok Pundit also tends to be somewhat selective in what is included or rejected. One wonders why in a piece so long on the bombs that the statements of Khunying Pornthip who is Thailands top forensic scientitst and Thailands only forensic scietntist of international reputation were ignored. She seemed to exclude southern separatists based on forensic examination of the explosives and she was highly critical of the police destruction of evidence. Maybe this didnt fit with the writers theory.

In the first post looking at whether it was the southern terrorists/insurgents, I had not seen anything by Dr Porntip ruling out the southern connection. The only statement I could find of hers was complaining about the police not giving her access to the site. Having done further searches now, I can see the only article talking about the southern connection is available at Thai Visa (The Nation breaking news article) which is not available through Google News or other news aggregators which I used when compiling the information to write about. It wasn't an intentional oversight as it goes back to the tension between the military and the police and who they respectively think is responsible - she seems to back the military/government position although she didn't provide any specifics with her statement on exactly how the bombs were different. Others I quoted did mention on how the bombs were similar or different.

Additionally cetain background information that most Thai people seem to know about General Chavalit is excluded as his supreme power is stressed.

Now, you have me confused. I did a couple of posts on Gen. Chavalit and his political positioning over the last year. I haven't gone into depth on every single issue with Gen. Chavalit, but I am perplexed on what exactly is this "background information that most Thai people seem to know about".

[Tony Clifton]

DSI told to investigate Bangkok bombings

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/01/23...es_30024845.php

Good move!

As long as this country relies on the shameful and unreliable Royal Thai police, it will remain in neutral, even keep slipping back down the hill. most of them can't be trusted with anything, even something as simple as cordoning off an entrance when Thaksin's son went in to testify, it turned into a rdiculous shoving match, allowing in crying women with flowers and a crowd bigger than they could handle..

TO SELF-SERVE AND COLLECT!

Edited January 23, 2007 by Tony Clifton

[brazil]

It is a start, but I am not sure I hold out much hope that anything will come of it.

What happened to the earlier report that Jemmah Ismalia are involved..............

All very contradictory.

PULO hAVE claimed that they have no association with JI

But a report on the southern problems in 2005 by Jinsa(jewish national security institute) details that PULO have a splinter group called GMIP for which is a member of Rabibat-ul-Mujahidin, an umbrella organization of regional Islamic groups. Rabibat-ul-Mujahidin was formed by Jemaah Islamiyah.

so like a similar thread on tv for which i have stated!!

if PULO is denying this affiliation!!

what else are PULO lying about?

Maybe all the brainwashing on thai media has eluded the folks living in the kingdom that maybe their is some truth in the report on JI in Bangkok

and surley this makes these arrests a lovely stage of acting for the next play of brainwashing by the thai authorities

Edited January 23, 2007 by brazil

[falux]

This forum is simply fantastic. It gathers all whining retired farangs with an opinion.

[Mid]

[Plus]

I've seen a technical explanation how the New Year bombs were different from the Southern bombs published in The Nation. It surely wasn't by Pornthip.