Bangkok police: Key blast suspect 'a foreigner'

[webfact]

Key blast suspect 'a foreigner'
THE NATION
AGENCIES


Police believe he had to accomplices; Somyot offers Bt1 million reward for info leading to arrest

BANGKOK: -- POLICE said yesterday that they believe the suspect of the deadly explosion at the Erawan Shrine is a foreigner and the two other men seen in CCTV footage near the scene are his accomplices.

National police spokesman Pol Lt-General Prawut Thavornsiri said the person in red and the person in white captured on security camera were also suspects in the attack that killed at least 20 people, mostly foreigners, and injured more than a hundred others.

The arrest warrant obtained yesterday accuses an unnamed foreigner of premeditated murder, attempted murder and bomb making. The man could be of mixed origin, the spokesman said.

Police released a sketch of the prime suspect yesterday, and offered a reward of Bt1 million for information leading to his arrest.

Meanwhile two motorcycle taxi drivers claimed to have picked up the key suspect, with one saying he picked the man up often in the morning.

The suspect was captured on security camera arriving at the shrine with a backpack, and leaving without it shortly before the explosion.

The police sketch shows a fair-skinned man with thick, medium-length black hair and dark eyes, a wispy beard and black-framed glasses.

National police chief Pol General Somyot Poompanmuang said police believe the attack is the work of a network and that the suspect had others, possibly Thais, helping him.

"The suspect did not act alone. The perpetrators shared the job, ranging from staking out the targeted area, mapping an escape route and assembling the explosives," he said, adding that he thinks the bomb was assembled in Thailand. Somyot also said he believes the suspect is likely to have been in Thailand for at least three years, as he knew the area well.

Meanwhile, Nikom Pantula, a motorcycle taxi driver at Sathorn Soi 10, identified the suspect, saying the young man frequently used his service to go to Asoke intersection at about 5.30am. He usually appeared to be in a hurry and spoke both Thai and English.

"He always had a black cloth around his arms and wore black glasses," he said.

Another motorcycle taxi driver, Kasem Puksuwan, 45, believes he gave a ride to the suspect after the man left the shrine on Monday. He met the police yesterday and told them about the route the suspect took. He said he had dropped the man off at Lumpini Park.

"We have drawn the sketch of this suspect based on pictures we retrieved from security cameras and the description given by a witness," Prawut said.

Many security cameras captured the suspect's movements on Monday evening. Recording from one camera showed him getting off a tuk-tuk in front of the Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel at 6.36pm and walking towards the shrine.

Prawut said both uniformed and plainclothes police officers were now working at key transport facilities and communities to watch out for any suspicious persons.

Meanwhile, immigration officials at Sa Kaew checkpoint are now strictly screening foreigners with a "Middle-Eastern appearance". On Tuesday night, a Frenchman who looked like the suspect was detained at Suvarnabhumi Airport. However, nothing was found after checks and a search of his room, and he was released yesterday.

Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha, meanwhile, said the suspect should report himself to the authorities in the interest of his own safety. "I am concerned that he could be silenced," he said.

On Tuesday, another bomb hit the railing of a bridge and fell into Chao Phraya River near Sathorn Pier in Bangkok. The blast splashed water, but did not cause any harm. Had it hit the pier, there could have been a great number of casualties.

"We plan to erect sandbag walls around the affected site and pump out as much water as possible. Members of the bomb squad team will then dive down to look for the evidence," Prapassorn Kularb said yesterday in his capacity as the public works chief of the Sathorn District Office.

In a related development, a bomb hoax caused a brief public scare in Bangkok yesterday afternoon. An ordnance team was summoned to a stairway at BTS Nana Station after a suspicious item was spotted.

The team examined the item and found that it was just cardboard covered with black bag and adhesive tape. "We suspect that someone placed the item there to cause a public scare or as a wild prank," a police officer said. Lumpini Police Station vowed to hunt down the persons behind this bomb hoax.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Key-blast-suspect-a-foreigner-30267026.html


-- The Nation 2015-08-20

[Seann]

There had already been a couple of terrorist cells in Thailand that were caught by the US government. The decision to put those people on a plane with bags over their heads was truly horrendous. Now I fear it is on display globally that the RTP could not catch a kitten. Scary.

[Thai at Heart]

The 3 years statement is very telling. They have to know more than they are letting on. Could be silenced is even more telling..... Finally a little sense among all the waffle.....

[lildragon]

Bet Jamie will stay clear of this thread with now "reds did it" nonsense.

If the bomber and accomplices were here that long then they would of left some evidence. I fear the net is tightening too late and they're gone though.

Edited August 19, 2015 by lildragon

[daoyai]

The 3 years statement is very telling. They have to know more than they are letting on. Could be silenced is even more telling..... Finally a little sense among all the waffle.....

more likely that they are telling more than they know...

[Pattaya28]

The Police allege to have cctv footage of many movements of the "Suspect". So the question is why they do not have a clear facial image of the "Suspect".

[ourmanflint]

I cannot believe anything the RTP have to say, ..ever. In fact I would look at the opposite of whatever they say and be more likely to believe it.

[Carmine6]

Sathorn Soi 10 connects through the back directly to Silom Soi 9. So it is obvious why they'd be talking to the motorcycle taxis there. However, it would be astounding if that guy just went back directly to the place he's been staying. If so, then he's going to be long gone, though some people should know more about him.

[Usernames]

Usually, in these type things, some degree of clarity begins to emerge by the second or third day. Here, however, things have become so murky that it is more confusing than ever. The very same officials contradicting themselves with one statement after another. Utterly hopeless.

[NongKhaiKid]

I cannot believe anything the RTP have to say, ..ever. In fact I would look at the opposite of whatever they say and be more likely to believe it.

Do they really not get it that very few trust them or believe anything they say and that it's a self-inflicted condition ?

[bangkokfrog]

...the suspect should report himself to the authorities in the interest of his own safety. "I am concerned that he could be silenced," he (the PM) said.

And what would the guy's prospects be then? First torture to find out who he was working with, and then life in a Thai jail until he is either executed or a convenient accident or medical emergency takes place.

These people are scum, but does the PM really think this kind of poorly thought out talk does anything but make him look incredibly naive and out of touch? (Unless of course he can back it up with a dream, as in the case of the police commissioner and the golf pretty!).

[fritzzz25]

If these guys have any clue, they will check all the cell phone towers in that area (the bomb location, as well as where the suspect was picked up / dropped off) for a given time period, which would log what device made what call to where. By using these towers, and analyzing the information of hand offs, it isn't very hard to track down the phone used.

I have seen it used first hand, it works......

[realenglish1]

Its very clear that they know who they are looking for Statements like "been here for more than 3 years" is either a very stupid comment by an uneducated individual or statement in fact because they already have a good idea who they are looking for

Regardless its just a matter of time before they nail this guy

I am so saddened by the the people who died and the people who also got hurt.

All I can say is BANGKOK pony up all the hospital costs for the injured This is the right thing to do

[Saan]

I sincerely hope the bomb blast was the work of Muslims.

If not it could be the precursor of much worse times for Thailand.

There is a fragile peace of sorts in Thailand at the moment but one can never know when that will change.

[farang000999]

Comments about being here for three years strongly implies that they have a specific suspect.

[arrowsdawdle]

I cannot believe anything the RTP have to say, ..ever. In fact I would look at the opposite of whatever they say and be more likely to believe it.

You're getting this Thainess thing down Flint.

[arrowsdawdle]

Comments about being here for three years strongly implies that they have a specific suspect.

That usually goes with stitching up a goat. First the script and then the casting call.

[GOLDBUGGY]

I don't see why they seem so sure their is more than one person.

I mean if you knew how to build a bomb in the first place, what is there to putting it in a backpack, going someplace by taxi, and dropping it under a bench? Then leaving again by taxi a dialing the cell phone number once you are clear and even dropped of.

I mean 2 other guys looking suspicious somehow doesn't cut it with me. Unless they all got off the taxi together and also all got back on later and were seen talking to each other. But other than that how would they know?

[AlphMichaels]

The Police allege to have cctv footage of many movements of the "Suspect". So the question is why they do not have a clear facial image of the "Suspect".

These cameras are 5 generations old, most are one step away from analog, and only a few are HD. Most of those aren't any better than 720P HD. The key on all of them for getting a solid image of this guy is the mounting angle.

[dcpo]

I'm slightly annoyed that the police have taken CCTV footage of a man who clearly looks nothing like me, and come out with a drawing of a man who, my wife's friends insist, looks a lot like me. I've also been here about 3 years. I'm wondering if I am to expect a knock on the door. I do have a solid alibi but having myself and my condo searched would be a hassle.

[Srikcir]

Since the man could be of mixed origin, there is no likelihood that he could be Thai - Right?

[arrowsdawdle]

Usually, in these type things, some degree of clarity begins to emerge by the second or third day. Here, however, things have become so murky that it is more confusing than ever. The very same officials contradicting themselves with one statement after another. Utterly hopeless.

Thai investigation and policing is different, just like Thai electricity.

[arrowsdawdle]

Since the man could be of mixed origin, there is no likelihood that he could be Thai - Right?

Considering Thais are widely mixed with Chinese, not to mention Lao, your questions seems shallow.

[micmichd]

The face posted tells me nothing about the suspect's nationality.

[oztaurus]

Sathorn Soi 10 connects through the back directly to Silom Soi 9. So it is obvious why they'd be talking to the motorcycle taxis there. However, it would be astounding if that guy just went back directly to the place he's been staying. If so, then he's going to be long gone, though some people should know more about him.

You seem to know the area quite well .... how long have you lived here? More than 3 years? Do you wear glasses? Have you recently misplaced any luggage?

[oztaurus]

Comments about being here for three years strongly implies that they have a specific suspect.

Or it could just mean that they think it takes that long to know an area.

As a general from a previous coup once pointed out - he wasn't worried about terrorists from the 3 southern provinces coming to wreak havoc in Bangkok because some of his soldiers had been here for years and still got lost.

[Puwa]

I sincerely hope the bomb blast was the work of Muslims.

Strangest comment I've read so far.

[bobbymack]

The police have made a big mistake in releasing a photo fit which is very detailed and could look very like someone and yet the CCTV footage is very unclear. To say that it is a foreigner from that is naïve as then they discount all Thais when in fact it could be a Thai and the photo fit is not fully accurate. If just a few slight features on the photo fit are changed then it could look like a Thai. It could still be a Thai citizen as well even if of mixed race?

[webfact]

Thai police identify 2 more Bangkok blast suspects

By Coconuts Bangkok

BANGKOK: -- Thai police spokesman Prawut Thawornsiri said Wednesday that investigators are now seeking two more Bangkok bombing suspects, in addition to the man in the yellow shirt seen on CCTV leaving a backpack at Erawan Shrine before the blast.

Full story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/849799-thai-police-identify-2-more-bangkok-blast-suspects/

[Carmine6]

Sathorn Soi 10 connects through the back directly to Silom Soi 9. So it is obvious why they'd be talking to the motorcycle taxis there. However, it would be astounding if that guy just went back directly to the place he's been staying. If so, then he's going to be long gone, though some people should know more about him.

You seem to know the area quite well .... how long have you lived here? More than 3 years? Do you wear glasses? Have you recently misplaced any luggage?

Spent half an hour panning through Google streetview yesterday from the front of Silom soi 9 looking for obvious cameras. Went all the way through to Sathorn where there were motocycle taxis. So including that half hour, I've never lived there. But this pops up today and it was obvious why motorcycle taxi drivers on Sathorn 10 would have been talked to. I'd expect drivers in every soi around there were. Little surprised it was the soi that connects through.

But that also makes me a bit cautious thinking these guys have identified the right guy. I don't think they came forward independently. Might have been more like, "Have you driven anyone that you think might be this guy?" The flip side is, with the locations of the two bombs, it seemed like the guy might have stayed in this general vicinity.