Bangkok Criminal Court attack: Police told of bomb plots by red shirts

[webfact]

CRIMINAL COURT ATTACK
Police told of bomb plots by red shirts
The Nation

2 arrested, 3 sought over criminal court blast, say 100 targets discussed

BANGKOK: -- TWO MEN arrested for throwing a hand grenade at the Criminal Court on Saturday night claimed that red shirts were plotting more bomb attacks on up to 100 targets in Bangkok, a security official said yesterday.

Yuttana Yenpinyo and Mahahin Khunthong were caught soon after the attack and detained under martial law.

The red shirts are members of a political movement that supported the administration of former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

Police are seeking arrest warrants for Veerasak Towangchorn, a man alleged to have brought them the grenade used on Saturday, and two women - Nattapat Onming and Thatchapan Pokklong - after the two men incriminated them.

The grenade drama on Saturday night was the second bomb attack in the capital after Yingluck was impeached in January by the National Legislative Assembly over her failure to stop corruption in the rice-pledging scheme.

The first blast occurred in the middle of the Siam shopping mecca, at the Skytrain station, early last month.

Under interrogation by police and military, Yuttana said Nattapat had hired a man called 'Big', whose real name he did not know, and Mahahin to throw a bomb into the courthouse, but the two took the money and failed to act.

Yuttana said he then agreed to carry out the attack for Bt10,000 because he wanted the money to give to his girlfriend for medical expenses in giving birth to their child.

Nattapat said she would give him the money after he completed the job.

Yuttana said 'Big' gave him a round, brown object he believed to be a home-made device with the explosive power of a 'ping-pong bomb'. 'Big' taught Yuttana how to use it.

Mahahin agreed to drive the motorcycle, saying his hand was not in good shape and not strong enough to throw a heavy object.

Yuttana hurled the bomb into the court on Ratchadaphisek Road as he was passing on the back of the motorcycle.

Yuttana said he was a member of a red-shirt group that communicated on a social network called Line. They discussed a plot to bomb at least 100 places, mostly in the capital, through the application Line, Yuttana claimed.

Mahahin said targets also included military armouries in Chiang Mai and in the Northeast, university campuses and Wat Or Noi temple.

Metropolitan Police chief Lt-General Srivara Ransibrahman-akul said they believed the latest attack was politically motivated. The attackers used a RGD-5 grenade, which was not official issue. After committing the crime and trying to escape, the two resisted arrest and threw a bomb at security officials following them, he said.

Pol Colonel Kamthorn Ucharoen, an EOD superintendent, said police were checking if the grenade used on Saturday was connected with one used in the Banthadthong area during a previous political protests.

Police suspect the two men carried at least two guns because a .357 pistol, which had been fired twice, and two 9mm cartridges were found at the Attorney-General's Office building on Ratchadaphisek Road.

Maj General Sansern Kaewkamnerd, deputy government spokesman, said officials arrested the suspects soon after the incident because after the blast at the Skytrain Siam station, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha had instructed officials to exercise their authority to prevent such bomb attacks.

Colonel Winthai Suvari, a spokesman for both the National Council for Peace and Order and the Army, said the suspects were nabbed quickly because officials had received intelligence from the public and state agencies about possible bomb attacks.

They had name lists of all suspects and had them observed and followed for some time till these two were caught after committing the crime on Saturday night.

"They plotted the attack with the intention to instigate violence, foment terror, intimidate and disturb the peace without fear of the arm of the law. Those linked to the incident will be rounded up to face justice," he said.

Dr Cherdchai Tantisirin, a former Pheu Thai party-list MP, rejected the allegation that the grenade attack at the court had anything to do with the red-shirt movement. He blamed an ill-intentioned group, which may not be satisfied with the government's performance or its handling of some issues such as religious reform, economic woes and the imposition of martial law.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Police-told-of-bomb-plots-by-red-shirts-30255607.html


-- The Nation 2015-03-09

[jaidam]

These red shirts aren't the sharpest tools in the box, with every bomb they detonate, their hero "doctor" Thaksin's return is further and further away. And for that, I thank them. Hooray for stupidity!

[tbthailand]

regardless of the events ... this article reads like it comes from writer who has been on staff for about exactly 3 hours.

[trogers]

Ahhh...the democratic forces rear their heads.

[Bluespunk]

"Dr Cherdchai Tantisirin, a former Pheu Thai party-list MP, rejected the allegation that the grenade attack at the court had anything to do with the red-shirt movement. He blamed an ill-intentioned group, which may not be satisfied with the government's performance or its handling of some issues such as religious reform, economic woes and the imposition of martial law."

Yeah, because there is no previous history of violence committed by the UDD.

Oh, hang on, wait......

[ramrod711]

Dr Cherdchai Tantisirin, a former Pheu Thai party-list MP, rejected the allegation that the grenade attack at the court had anything to do with the red-shirt movement. He blamed an ill-intentioned group, which may not be satisfied with the government's performance or its handling of some issues such as religious reform, economic woes and the imposition of martial law.

I thought PTP and the red shirts WERE an ill intentioned group, whose sole purpose was to fill the pockets of the leaders, and let the followers wallow in jail.

[kalbo123]

What a strange story some how I do not believe a word...

[smedly]

regardless of the events ... this article reads like it comes from writer who has been on staff for about exactly 3 hours.

have you ever actually read a raw Thai to English translation - I don't think you have

Most of the news items articles we read on here are not raw translations but someone's attempt to put into English what they believe is written in the Thai text, there is never going to be an exact translation so we or at least most of us need to think a little when reading an article to work out as near as possible what it is saying.

I believe most of us here get the concept of "lost in Translation"

[Prbkk]

What a strange story some how I do not believe a word...

Yes, it reads like a Press Release from The Ministry of Truth.

[fatfather]

... seems like that the ex PM's brother is not sleeping....

Fatfather

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

Too convienent isn't it. The most interesting fact is how many supposed UDD attacks was fatal? How many bombs went off away from any people, how many grenades didn't hit the supposed target? How many pipe bombs didn't explode? Thailand looks more and more like apartheid South Africa, false flag attacks to justify the status quo.

[rametindallas]

Everyone, including Red Shirt defenders, thought it was Red Shirts behind this as soon as the news broke of a grenade tossed at a courthouse. It is their Modus Operandi and now we know for sure. There is no way to spin this in the Red Shirts' favor though some will try; fruitlessly. My guess is Dr. Thaksin is behind this since the UDD/Red Shirts are his invention, he is their lord and master (paymaster), and they work under his direction. He will never give up trying to get power back (a pardon is not enough) until his dying breath. A sad, sad, excuse for a (hu)man and a pity for Thailand to be burdened with him. Now that his good friend, Hitler admirer, and supporter, Pra Dammachayo, who wrote songs of praise to him, is being challenged by the NCPO, there is even more reason for Dr. Thaksin to disrupt and distract. Funny how Pra Dammachayo admires both Hitler and Thaksin. It is written in other sources that the good abbot wants to rule the religious world. Birds of a feather come to mind.

[Robby nz]

It would seem that the red organization is coming apart at the seams, we had Weng letting slip Thaksin long standing relationship with the temple under investigation. Now we see reds telling on each other and leaving their plotting on Line on a tablet retrieved from one of the bombers.

The powers that be may soon have to reopen that special prison again to hold them all.

[than]

Yuttana said he then agreed to carry out the attack for Bt10,000 because he wanted the money to give to his girlfriend for medical expenses in giving birth to their child.

This children will nether know his father,

Stupid guy your terror attack drive you directly to hang

Red shirts must pay for these crimes.......

[lucky11]

Ahhh...the democratic forces rear their heads.

........and all they've achieved is to get themselves arrested and implicate others in this amateurish game of 'lets play war'!!!

Stupid idiots - looks like his wife/gf will be giving birth without him present now!!

[AleG]

Too convienent isn't it. The most interesting fact is how many supposed UDD attacks was fatal? How many bombs went off away from any people, how many grenades didn't hit the supposed target? How many pipe bombs didn't explode? Thailand looks more and more like apartheid South Africa, false flag attacks to justify the status quo.

Well, there was one killed in the Banthadthong attack mentioned on the OP, another at the Victory Monument attack; then there were two children killed in Ranong (to the Red Shirt "War Drum" convention delight) and two more children and one adult killed in another attack in Ratchaprasong, etc, etc...

So pop goes the conspiracy,

[KhnomKhnom]

Thai abbv. lots. Maybe "Big" is short for "Big Brother in Dubai"?

[Thaddeus]

Too convienent isn't it. The most interesting fact is how many supposed UDD attacks was fatal? How many bombs went off away from any people, how many grenades didn't hit the supposed target? How many pipe bombs didn't explode? Thailand looks more and more like apartheid South Africa, false flag attacks to justify the status quo.

Does a pipe-bomb only count as a bomb when it explodes?

[oneday]

The grenade drama on Saturday night was the second bomb attack in the capital after Yingluck was impeached in January by the National Legislative Assembly over her failure to stop corruption in the rice-pledging scheme.

Wow! if that is not an outright accusation that the Red Shirts are behind all the bombings then I don't know what it is. Nobody knows it was red shirts and anybody can say anything. This article is incredibly biased.

[webfact]

Tightened security at Criminal Court Monday



BANGKOK: -- The Criminal Court opens as usual Monday but with stepped up security following Saturday's grenade attack.

Police and soldiers were deployed inside and outside the court’s compound and all vehicles entering the premise were subject to bomb checks.

For people entering the premise on official contacts, they were required to have all their handbags checked by security officials.

Security was boosted at all important state offices, commercial areas, bus terminals, train stations with both security in uniforms and in plainclothes.

Royal Thai Police commissioner Pol Gen Somyot Phumphanmuang said the tightened security was necessary as there is still attempt to disturb peace and order in the country by ill intention group of people.

Meanwhile warrants were issued last night for the arrest of three more suspects in connection with the Saturday bombing.

They are Ms Rajaphan Pokkrong, 20, Ms Nattapatch Onming, 56, and Virasak Towangchorn, 42.

Police investigators said the arrested suspect Mahahin Khunthong has confessed to the bomb attack saying he was forcibly hired by a person who he identified as “Dear” is living in Australia.

In a press conference Sunday night, seized documents showing the connection between the suspects and their employer were also shown , along with a scarf showing they are members of a so-called Democracy Protection Organisation, were displayed.

Only one suspect, Mahahin was brought to the conference, while the injured suspect Yuthana Yenpinyo is still at Mongkhut hospital for shot wounds.

Mahahin said Dear offered him 20,000 baht to do the job with threat to harm his family if he rejected the offer.

All messages were received on the Line chat, he said.

He also revealed that similar bomb attacks were also planned at several places in the capital by about 100 men.

They scheduled a meeting March 10 before launching simultaneous attacks, but he was arrested, he said.

(Photo : ThaiPBS file)

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/tightened-security-at-criminal-court-monday-2


-- Thai PBS 2015-03-09

[trogers]

The grenade drama on Saturday night was the second bomb attack in the capital after Yingluck was impeached in January by the National Legislative Assembly over her failure to stop corruption in the rice-pledging scheme.

Wow! if that is not an outright accusation that the Red Shirts are behind all the bombings then I don't know what it is. Nobody knows it was red shirts and anybody can say anything. This article is incredibly biased.

For a moment I thought you are Tarit who once headed DSI.

[Emster23]

And Hitler used his groups burning of Reichstag to justify crackdowns..... BTW how is prosecution of those who disrupted elections, prevented candidates from registering, illegally occupied buildings, burned buses of people going to peaceful protest, etc etc going?

[Fat Haggis]

Well if there's any truth in the confessions then tomorrow will see multiple attacks across the city deducted terrorists don't give up because of a setback such as this cell being caught.

Dedicated terrorists don't give out information to multiple cells about targets and plans and timings, it's called OPSEC you tell them what they need to know to accomplish their mission/attacks you don't give them information that causes other cells to be captured or killed, it just doesn't work this way, so either hear guys are the cannon fodder it the UDD are really no threat at all of they hold mass mission briefs and tell all their terror cells the same things!!

Either someone is giving the UDD more credibility than they're worth, or this is the type of misinformation required to feed the population and worlds media.

From the looks of all I've read and seen, too many people are giving the UDD too much credibility in their efforts to be a major terrorist organisation, Jesus even he animal rights nutters were better organised in their goals

[trogers]

Well if there's any truth in the confessions then tomorrow will see multiple attacks across the city deducted terrorists don't give up because of a setback such as this cell being caught.

Dedicated terrorists don't give out information to multiple cells about targets and plans and timings, it's called OPSEC you tell them what they need to know to accomplish their mission/attacks you don't give them information that causes other cells to be captured or killed, it just doesn't work this way, so either hear guys are the cannon fodder it the UDD are really no threat at all of they hold mass mission briefs and tell all their terror cells the same things!!

Either someone is giving the UDD more credibility than they're worth, or this is the type of misinformation required to feed the population and worlds media.

From the looks of all I've read and seen, too many people are giving the UDD too much credibility in their efforts to be a major terrorist organisation, Jesus even he animal rights nutters were better organised in their goals

Seems you do not see into depth. UDD is providing the finance and logistic, actual actions to be carried out by paid assailants. UDD lacks fanatics unlike Muslim militants.

[Fat Haggis]

Trogers, you need a complicated structure and set up to be seen as a serious threat mate.

For example anyone could call themselves Mr Big, and say he's a member of the UDD a and hand a bloke a grenade and 10000 baht and tell him to throw it at a building!

But for all intensive purposes the grenade thrower knows your UDD because you stated you were?

You can't see a flaw in this? Most terror groups don't tell people who they are until after an attacking has taken place and they claim responsibility?

For over 30 years I've dealt with terrorism and terrorists in my careers so I've seen how professional some are, well organised and structured and I've seen rank amateurs and the UDD is way down there with the amateurs !!

[seajae]

trying to make out that reds actually have intelligence is the flaw, while terrorists groups outside Thailand know a bit more about what they are doing here we have rank amateurs, these reds havent got a brain between them. They simply do what they want without regard to the end conclusions, they are too stupid to realize that they are leaving trails all over the place for the govt to follow simply because they are too busy patting each other on the back. All our local reds(poster and likers in the 2nd post) are all trying to negate this with innuendo as usual, cant admit the truth as it would make them all look totally silly for supporting these morons. This has been on the cards for some time and simply needed a reason to happen which the reds were given last week with the convictions of 5 of their own. If any of the reds or their leaders had half a brain it would be lonely, they are more worried about their small appendages and carrying big hand guns to compensate to be able to actually have a useful thought.

[Fat Haggis]

Good post seajAe!!

And it's this very reason I have never gone along with calling them a terrorist organisation they key is in the words organisation ?

The country would be in a right predicament if the Reds had the same mindset as the terror groups in the south of the country, the level of violence and carnage would be tenfold given there's 7% hardliners !!! So we're told repeatedly!! That's just under 5 million mate, that's more than the whole RTA and yet these guys can't prioritise targets, commit attacks and cause carnage but oh my god these were the guy's that the country was on the brink of civil war with?

Bogus!!! not a chance these clowns could last a week in any sort of asymmetrical warfare, considering you have many many ex red military personnel from some big time door kicking units, and senior RTA officers who know how to plan and conduct military type operations and yet they send two clowns in a bike to throw a grenade that Can only be thrown what 50ms tops? Doesn't leave many options for your escape routes etc.

I give the UDD zero credibility as a bona fide terrorist organisation, zero direction or goals and sorry but doing this for UN intervention just doesn't add up at all.

[Cuchulainn]

Thick hicks from the sticks trying to make bombs?

Great.

Let's hope there'll be a lot of detonations in transit!!!

[Robby nz]

Good post seajAe!!

And it's this very reason I have never gone along with calling them a terrorist organisation they key is in the words organisation ?

The country would be in a right predicament if the Reds had the same mindset as the terror groups in the south of the country, the level of violence and carnage would be tenfold given there's 7% hardliners !!! So we're told repeatedly!! That's just under 5 million mate, that's more than the whole RTA and yet these guys can't prioritise targets, commit attacks and cause carnage but oh my god these were the guy's that the country was on the brink of civil war with?

Bogus!!! not a chance these clowns could last a week in any sort of asymmetrical warfare, considering you have many many ex red military personnel from some big time door kicking units, and senior RTA officers who know how to plan and conduct military type operations and yet they send two clowns in a bike to throw a grenade that Can only be thrown what 50ms tops? Doesn't leave many options for your escape routes etc.

I give the UDD zero credibility as a bona fide terrorist organisation, zero direction or goals and sorry but doing this for UN intervention just doesn't add up at all.

The point is they were not doing it for UN intervention, that is what he is saying they were told, they, and he in particular, was doing it for the money.

No high ideals or loyalty to the gang at all, apparently quite happy to tell who hired them and gave them the grenades, although 4 bullet hole could have had some bearing on his willingness to talk.

[lewy67]

Too convienent isn't it. The most interesting fact is how many supposed UDD attacks was fatal? How many bombs went off away from any people, how many grenades didn't hit the supposed target? How many pipe bombs didn't explode? Thailand looks more and more like apartheid South Africa, false flag attacks to justify the status quo.

Well, there was one killed in the Banthadthong attack mentioned on the OP, another at the Victory Monument attack; then there were two children killed in Ranong (to the Red Shirt "War Drum" convention delight) and two more children and one adult killed in another attack in Ratchaprasong, etc, etc...

So pop goes the conspiracy,

So pop does go the conspiracy! As with the evidence put forward by AleG the reds are pretty good at the killing and maiming game when they play with grenades. As with the evidence put forward by AliG the reds actually blow people up be they adults or children, be it in Bangkok or the provinces. BUT this time a couple of nuffies throw a grenade over a fence into an area where there are no people AND there just happens to be soldiers and coppers on hand to catch them. False flag attacks to justify the staus quo indeed.