Thai Police 'clueless' about grenade attack, would welcome tips

[webfact]

Police 'clueless' about grenade attack, would welcome tips
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- Police yesterday welcomed any tips from the public that may help them arrest a suspect who threw grenades at the anti-government rally at Victory Monument on Sunday, as there had been no clues available to investigators so far.

A senior commander, Pol Maj-General Wicharnwat Borrirakkul, also warned people not to speculate on who the suspect may work for. "As long as the suspect is not arrested, don't just speculate," he said.

Detectives are working on the case but reportedly have few ideas or clues about the incident, as no one has come forward to volunteer information. "Anyone knowing the man [seen in CCTV footage throwing a grenade] is welcome to give information to the police," he said.

A cap and a shirt left by the grenade thrower, who fled the scene with a large number of people in pursuit, were being inspected for DNA for further identification of the man, he said.

Meanwhile, a man whose photo was spread widely on social media and implicated as the suspect turned up yesterday in a clip posted on YouTube. The man identified himself as Lance Corporal Rachata Wongyord and warned people against further defamation, or claims that he was the suspect in the bomb attack. He criticised people who "doctored" a picture of him to make it similar to the suspect, and people who attack anti-government protesters.

Rachata served as a security chief under the late Army adviser Khattiya Swasdiphol (Seh Daeng). He said he had been charged with terrorism for being involved in a red-shirt riot in 2009, before being linked to the blast at Victory Monument.

Panthongtae Shinawatra, nephew of caretaker premier Yingluck, said on his Facebook page that his father Thaksin had offered a Bt10-million bounty for the arrest of the suspect, in addition to another Bt10-million bounty he had long offered for people behind the torching of CentralWorld during red-shirt protests in Bangkok in 2010.

There was further drama near the Victory Monument protest site early yesterday, when a car drove through a police checkpoint on Phya Thai Road.

The car headed toward another checkpoint manned by guards for protesters, which led to shots being fired at the vehicle, causing two male occupants to flee. Guards then apprehended a woman, identified as Orawan Jarbkan.

Orawan claimed that the driver was lost, that she did not know the men, and there was no firearm in the car.

She was charged with using drugs after her urine tested positive.

The woman has a criminal record, according to online news sources. She was allegedly arrested in June last year in Kanchanaburi following a similar incident, in which drugs were found in a vehicle she was in.


-- The Nation 2014-01-22

[MaxLee]

"Police 'clueless' about grenade attack, would welcome tips"

Check YouTube, you freaking useless imbeciles

[smoochy]

"Clueless" would just about sum up the police force.

[bangkokheat]

"police clueless about grenade attack"

qwite simple really, just pull the pin, chuck it and run like crazy, there you go, there you go, theres my tip

[mrtoad]

"Thai Police Clueless" , tell us something we don't know please.

[Siripon]

If I remember correctly a taxi driver said he dropped the suspect off in Jaransanitwong road.

From the video, the clothes, the cap and the face of the suspect are clearly visible and the pictures have been widely circulated in the media.

Perhaps the police need to put some billboards featuring stills from the video for it's hard to believe no one: passerbys, neighbours, vendors, motorcycle taxi drivers saw where he went.

Unless he isn't here.

Perhaps he is Cambodian, perhaps he was whisked away in a van, a change of clothes, back across the border in 2 or 3 hours.

Just a thought.

[chooka]

500K up for grabs someone will tell the BIB who is. It will be pointless tho when they do identify him as they will make a media release stating that they have an arrest warrant for Somchia and will be attending at his home at 3.45 p.m on the 15th of Feb to arrest him. Somchia then has 3 weeks to arrange a flight and transfer bank accounts.

[mrtoad]

Only Chalerm can solve this

[englishoak]

First thing SOE needs to do is shut down the Nation for its badly researched news items, its terrible reporting and appalling mish mash of half truths and distractions that are mixed up with lots of other separate topics under the same headlines.

[mrtoad]

First thing SOE needs to do is shut down the Nation for its badly researched news items, its terrible reporting and appalling mish mash of half truths and distractions that are mixed up with lots of other separate topics under the same headlines.

And the relevance to this thread is......??

[soi41]

If I remember correctly a taxi driver said he dropped the suspect off in Jaransanitwong road.

From the video, the clothes, the cap and the face of the suspect are clearly visible and the pictures have been widely circulated in the media.

Perhaps the police need to put some billboards featuring stills from the video for it's hard to believe no one: passerbys, neighbours, vendors, motorcycle taxi drivers saw where he went.

Unless he isn't here.

Perhaps he is Cambodian, perhaps he was whisked away in a van, a change of clothes, back across the border in 2 or 3 hours.

Just a thought.

"Perhaps he is Cambodian"

No better way to start the day than a good conspiracy-theory and a cup of coffee!!

Thailand doesn't have to import fanatic lunatics. Plenty within the borders!!

[NongKhaiKid]

500K up for grabs someone will tell the BIB who is. It will be pointless tho when they do identify him as they will make a media release stating that they have an arrest warrant for Somchia and will be attending at his home at 3.45 p.m on the 15th of Feb to arrest him. Somchia then has 3 weeks to arrange a flight and transfer bank accounts.

I received a news text from the other newspaper yesterday stating that Mr. T's son was reporting his dad was offering a B10 Million reward for the arrest of the grenade thrower.

Haven't seen or heard this through any other news outlet by highly possible as Mr. T is ever the opportunist.

[englishoak]

First thing SOE needs to do is shut down the Nation for its badly researched news items, its terrible reporting and appalling mish mash of half truths and distractions that are mixed up with lots of other separate topics under the same headlines.

And the relevance to this thread is......??

Its relevant because its another appalling bit of reporting for the reasons ive already stated by the Nation and I for one am sick of it being the prime newsfeed here.

[Madoff Soros]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dDQFeGopOI#t=10?start=8

fuller clip

fairly distinctive uniform surely someone knows where it is from.

vaguely looks like a seven delivery guy uniform but dont quote me as i wasnt paying close attention when looking previously

"police clueless " where do the tax paying public lodge the claim for reimbursement of the billions spent on CCTV around the world?

[zydeco]

First thing SOE needs to do is shut down the Nation for its badly researched news items, its terrible reporting and appalling mish mash of half truths and distractions that are mixed up with lots of other separate topics under the same headlines.

Maybe shut down these type posts, instead?

[Mosha]

Why don't they do what they normally do? Just happen to come across a suspect.

[JRSoul]

In almost every contact I have had with a Thai police officer*, they have not only welcomed gratuities, they have demanded them.

*Excludes Immigration Police at border crossings

[Tmymaimee]

This is embarrassing. When Boston Marathon had the bombs explode, the police put in place a plan that worked very well. So why don't the Thai police consult with some outside law enforcement agencies for assistance like the FBI? Profiling, background info, etc.? These grenades can't just be bought at the local market. Why don't some of these detectives go for extended training outside of Thailand so they can solve these types of crimes?

[Ricardo]

Only Chalerm can solve this

And do it within his usual 90-days, unless he's too busy, cutting his own head off ?

First thing SOE needs to do is shut down the Nation for its badly researched news items, its terrible reporting and appalling mish mash of half truths and distractions that are mixed up with lots of other separate topics under the same headlines.

Add media-censorship & control, even more so than usual ones, to the SOE restrictions, in the final run-up to a free-and-fair election ?

Yay for Red Judicial-Controls & Freedom-of-Speech !

[Halion]

What a brilliant and most succinct headline. 'Bangkok Police clueless and looking for" Tips".

[northernjohn]

Only Chalerm can solve this

I think he takes 90 days to solve problems.

[rogerdee123]

The Thai police are always looking for "tips" .... 500 baht please? But in this case probably waiting for their biiggggg tip from their sugar dad in Dubai

[bigbamboo]

"Clueless" would just about sum up the police force.

Wasn't Inspector Clueless in the Thai version of The Pink Panther?

Or was it The Pink Bentley?

[Tatsujin]

Again, misleading headline, it should be "Royal Thaksin Police clueless until orders are received as to who to accuse/implicate this time around".

[noikrit]

........... Clueless and Looking for Tips !! .................. Sounds like business as usual ...

[worgeordie]

Think RED, theres there first clue.

regards Worgeordie

[esprit]

"Clueless" would just about sum up the police force.

I think you do them an injustice to describe them as clueless. Considering that they are the most organised "mafia" type of organisation in the world ( even Italy and some S American countries come no where near ), then surely the opposite is the truth ? They have been robbing citizens for decades, long before the Shinawatra's were borne so perhaps the organisational "skills" and their apparant immunity to control should be examined further.

In most countries the police are there to uphold the rule of law and to ensure the public are protected from unlawfull individuals. Currently in Thailand it is the exact opposite. However credit where credit is due they only modelled their modus operandi on the army who developed these techniques preceeding the establishment of the RHP and those "connected" senior officers really are the "elite of the elite" when it comes from profiting from ill gotten gains, usually with their tonques up somebodies backside !

[JohnP1752]

They could start by investigating the Navy's alibi's. If they let them.

[trainman34014]

As a force that's supposed to 'Protect and Serve' the people, i would add 'Hopeless' and 'Useless' to the list.

[AleG]

Rachata served as a security chief under the late Army adviser Khattiya Swasdiphol (Seh Daeng). He said he had been charged with terrorism for being involved in a red-shirt riot in 2009, before being linked to the blast at Victory Monument.

The BP quoted Rachata saying that he knew who the bomber was and where he was hiding. On the same night Abhisit's house was bombed three men and one woman were arrested with several grenades of the same type used in this attacks; yet the police say they have no clues. The only possible conclussion is that the police are stonewalling this investigation, they don't want to find those responsible.