Tuk-Tuk Driver Who Took Bomber to Shrine Steps Forward

[Lite Beer]

Tuk-Tuk Driver Who Took Bomber to Shrine Steps Forward

A sketch of the suspected Bangkok bomber hangs on the desk of an immigration officer today in Nong Khai. The tuk-tuk driver who drove him to the scene of Monday night's bomb attack stepped forward to answer police questions today.

BANGKOK — The top suspect in Bangkok’s deadly bomb attack traveled to the scene from a location halfway between the Hua Lamphong Railway Station and Chulalongkorn University, according to the man who says he drove him there.

Tuk-tuk driver Suchart Pan-ngam, 37, stepped forward this afternoon to answer questions to police who had been searching for him since footage of Monday’s attack showed the lead suspect arriving on the scene by tuk-tuk.

Leaked Police Report Tracks Lead Suspect Before, After Bombing

Suchart identified himself the driver in CCTV footage bringing the suspect to Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel on Monday minutes before the blast.

Suchart said he recalled picking the suspect up from a car repair shop near Soi Wat Duang Khae Alley, around three kilometers west of the shrine, according to police officers at the Pathumwan Police Station.

The alley is a five minute walk from Hua Lamphong.

Read More: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1440073727&section=12&typecate=06

-- Khaosod English 2015-08-20

[Skytrain2hell]

Amazing how laziness goes out the door when some cash is waived around. This despite holding possibly crucial evidence that can catch this madman.

[z42]

Excellent. Lets hope he can provide some better info about his accent, his appearance and basically anything else.

[Anthony5]

Amazing how laziness goes out the door when some cash is waived around. This despite holding possibly crucial evidence that can catch this madman.

Amazing that they didn't post the address, telephone number and identity of the car repair shop owner.

[thesetat2013]

Amazing how laziness goes out the door when some cash is waived around. This despite holding possibly crucial evidence that can catch this madman.

Amazing that they didn't post the address, telephone number and identity of the car repair shop owner.

or the tuk tuk driver hmmm

[willyumiii]

Amazing how laziness goes out the door when some cash is waived around. This despite holding possibly crucial evidence that can catch this madman.

It may not be laziness.

It may be fear.

Depending on who is behind this, witnesses may fear retaliation.

Chances are this is not a "lone gunman" kind of thing.

A numerous different "organizations" could be behind it.

Young idealistic fools can be convinced to do many things.

In fact, there is a good chance the perp is actually dead and disposed of already.

He may never be found alive or at all.

Smart criminals cover their tracks.

and this is Thailand.

[willyumiii]

Did he confirm that the artist's perception looks anything like him?

[catterwell]

There's a shop in that Soi that sells only second-hand steel pipes. I once had a need for about 2 metres length of 8" internal diameter, 5-8 mm thickness steel pipe, and found it in that shop. As far as know, there are not too many shops specialised in selling used steel pipes. The police might want to investigate whether the that shop has recently sold any steel pipe of the type and size used in the bombs.

[anto]

^^The pipe bomb would have been made days before ,not on the hop .

Edited August 20, 2015 by anto

[chrisinth]

There's a shop in that Soi that sells only second-hand steel pipes. I once had a need for about 2 metres length of 8" internal diameter, 5-8 mm thickness steel pipe, and found it in that shop. As far as know, there are not too many shops specialised in selling used steel pipes. The police might want to investigate whether the that shop has recently sold any steel pipe of the type and size used in the bombs.

Notice there was a mention of the tuk tuk pickup being near to a car repair garage. Strange to include that in the statement.

If it was me, i would be running explosive traces around that premises as it would certainly have all the equipment to make a pipe bomb, at least one that would work properly. And on the subject of pipe bombs................

The official releases that i have heard (there may well be some newer statements made) is that they are suggesting that the explosives used were likely to be TNT or some other high explosive type. TNT/C4/ etc would generally not be used for a pipe bomb, as they do not need to be activated under a pressurized condition (inside a sealed container) to release their destructive power. A pipe bomb is in reality a poor man's grenade, normally constructed using homemade explosives which does require a pressurized condition for the sharp explosive force to crystalize the surrounding container and spread that material and whatever else has been packed around it as shrapnel.

Just sayin'

[Expattaff1308]

Did the tuk-tuk driver say "Royal Palace closed today"?

Interesting .Did this TUK TUK Devil give him the usual grilling ,i.e, Where you come from ? You want tour ? You want lady /massage etc .?

To quote a few....

Its amazing that there are those who can make light of this extremely serious event that took innocent lives along with ridiculing the police and security services that are working to apprehend the scum who carried out this attack on innocent victims.

Try thinking before posting, it could have been any of us or our loved ones!

Edited August 20, 2015 by Expattaff1308

[whooshbang]

_{looks like the others handed themselves in too..}

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-34007723

[phoenixdoglover]

_{looks like the others handed themselves in too..}

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-34007723

Notice how the BBC puts together a timeline of events, with the available photos of the suspect, and an explanatory graphic of the shrine site to try to make some sense out of the information.

While the Thai media just parrots the latest utterances of Police and Government officials.

Yeah, I guess I'm among the "Thai Bashers" at the moment; although it is simply out of frustration, and directed mostly at the media and the popinjays in uniform.

[SoiBiker]

_{looks like the others handed themselves in too..}

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-34007723

Notice how the BBC puts together a timeline of events, with the available photos of the suspect, and an explanatory graphic of the shrine site to try to make some sense out of the information.

While the Thai media just parrots the latest utterances of Police and Government officials.

Yeah, I guess I'm among the "Thai Bashers" at the moment; although it is simply out of frustration, and directed mostly at the media and the popinjays in uniform.

You mean something like this?

http://www.khaosod.co.th/view_newsonline.php?newsid=1440000544

[Whyamiandwhatamidoinghere]

If they really wanted to catch these terrorist then they would have asked and/or accepted help from Western intelligence agencies that have more experience and expertise.

[lildragon]

_{looks like the others handed themselves in too..}

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-34007723

Lucky boys to leave the shrine when they did.

The plot thickens.

[Expattaff1308]

If they really wanted to catch these terrorist then they would have asked and/or accepted help from Western intelligence agencies that have more experience and expertise.

Wasn't it reported the other day that they had asked interpol and other security forces for intelligence on suspected bombers etc...

Edited August 20, 2015 by Expattaff1308

[fish fingers]

^^The pipe bomb would have been made days before ,not on the hop .

I dont think anyone is suggesting its a Blue Peter badge project

[CharlieH]

Posts removed. This is not a topic to attempt humour !

[NeverSure]

Quite often it's found that where a taxi picked someone up is very near where they are living or staying. I simply can't recall but perhaps others can a notorious American killer that was traced back this way - to his neighborhood. This could be important info.

There's also the motorcycle taxi that took him away after he apparently left the backpack. Where is that guy? Where did he take him?

Edited August 20, 2015 by NeverSure

[fish fingers]

There's also the motorcycle taxi that took him away after he apparently left the backpack. Where is that guy? Where did he take him?

First I heard Silom Soi 9 but my wife told me that the latest info is the min junction at Lumphini. So he cd have gone anywhere basically. Maybe he discarded his clothes in the park somewhere

[worgeordie]

The 30,000 reward did the trick and he came forward,maybe they need

to up the other reward for information to more than 1 M, its also quite

strange that no terrorist group has claimed responsibility,most terrorist

groups like to have the publicity.

regards worgeordie

[btunes]

Any news on the Face Book guy that said he knew something was gonna happen? Do they still have him in custody?

[speedtripler]

The 30,000 reward did the trick and he came forward,maybe they need

to up the other reward for information to more than 1 M, its also quite

strange that no terrorist group has claimed responsibility,most terrorist

groups like to have the publicity.

regards worgeordie

I hope they have some third party verification that this is indeed the same tuk tuk that was carrying the suspect and someone isn't telling porkies to get a free 30,000....

[Carmine6]

Quite often it's found that where a taxi picked someone up is very near where they are living or staying. I simply can't recall but perhaps others can a notorious American killer that was traced back this way - to his neighborhood. This could be important info.

There's also the motorcycle taxi that took him away after he apparently left the backpack. Where is that guy? Where did he take him?

I think these various threads mirror the process going on in the official investigation. Plenty of reported info known by someone, but not necessarily everyone knowing everything.

Repeated way back in some of these topics, the motorcycle taxi afterwards reportedly took him to Silom soi 9, where he got off and started walking into that soi. The map in the link from post 14 above shows that path. Reposted below.

http://www.khaosod.co.th/view_newsonline.php?newsid=1440000544

Another post had reported interviews with motorcycle taxi drivers on Sathorn soi 10 (which attaches directly to Silom soi 9), saying they regularly took that guy places around 5:30 in the morning. The was another who said he'd taken him to Lumpini Park. Though when that happened wasn't clear.

I went to a Thai news website since some Thai wives or other people mentioned a taxi driver taking the guy to the airport. One person here said straight from from the location. I think the website name was Matchicon, but can't find which article I looked at. As best as I could tell from Google translate, there were reports from several different drivers who thought they might have taken him somewhere. One account was him being overheard calling for a taxi to take him to the airport and a taxi taking him. It was right after the mention of ending up at Soi 9, so seems to indicate leaving for the airport soon after that. But hard to tell if that's the sequence. It wasn't even clear which official was saying these things as tons of officials were named at the start of the article. I'm not sure if it was a press conference or list of people involved in the investigation. There were also other taxi rides and destinations mentioned, but unclear if it was different drivers and different points in time. Only to and from is probably reliable at this point, due to the clothes.

Regarding proximity, just look at the locations involved. Soi 9 is also about 3km from the shrine. The bridge is a little closer to soi 9 than that, but the other way. Seems very likely that he was staying somewhere inside the area defined by the Silom line of the skytrain tracks, with the open end defined by just connecting the dots. If a foreigner, probably closer to Silom since it is much easier to blend in around there.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Amazing how laziness goes out the door when some cash is waived around. This despite holding possibly crucial evidence that can catch this madman.

I think it's more indicative of the deep mistrust and dislike people have for police, as well as being aware of their incompetence.

Also note that the two guys (tour guide) only stepped forward when they were actually marked as suspects, but would very likely have preferred to just lay low and not get involved.

Nobody in their right mind wants to have anything to do with police unless it's completely unavoidable. Clueless, incompetent, corrupt and can turn into scapegoat-hunting mode at any time.

I'm not surprised at all.

Edited August 20, 2015 by WinnieTheKhwai

[fish fingers]

Regarding proximity, just look at the locations involved. Soi 9 is also about 3km from the shrine. The bridge is a little closer to soi 9 than that, but the other way. Seems very likely that he was staying somewhere inside the area defined by the Silom line of the skytrain tracks, with the open end defined by just connecting the dots. If a foreigner, probably closer to Silom since it is much easier to blend in around there.

You'd think the thai plod would check guest houses and condo managers. 2 cemeteries and a canal for dumping clothes are right there too

[webfact]

The suspect 'looked very calm'
PRATCH RUJIVANAROM
THE NATION


Motorbike taxi driver Weerachai Konla speaks to a reporter after checking a picture of the key suspect

BANGKOK: -- WITH a manhunt ongoing for the key suspect in the Monday evening bombing, this reporter followed the route the alleged attacker took to see if there were any more clues available.

Yesterday, at the motorcycle-taxi rank on the corner of Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel where the suspect got on a bike after the blast, the scene was bustling with reporters looking to speak to Kasem Pooksuwan - the motorbike-taxi driver who picked up the suspect.

However, after a six-hour interrogation session with police on Wednesday, Kasem did not come to the rank yesterday.

Weerachai Konla, another motorcycle-taxi driver who was also at the scene on Monday, said he did see the suspect but did not pay much attention to him, thinking he was just a normal customer.

"I did not see his face, but remember his yellow shirt. He looked very calm when he came to the rank and asked Kasem to take him to Lumpini Park, and showed him a piece of paper with some text on it," Weerachai disclosed.

He said the man was between 175 and 180 centimetres tall and looked like a Middle Easterner. He also spoke to Kasem in English.

"I don't think he's Thai, but I really don't know where he came from," he said.

Weerachai took this reporter to the area where the suspect got off near the Lumpini Park's parking lot, opposite Chulalongkorn Hospital about a kilometre from the motorbike rank.

Jinda Khunsanteai, a security guard at Lumpini Park who was just finishing his shift at around the time the suspect got off the bike, said he did not notice the man.

"It was chaotic around here because the bomb had just exploded and the road was filled with ambulances. I did not see anyone who looked like the suspect," he said.

"He might have entered the park through another gate.

"There are plenty of surveillance cameras around the parking lot and the police have checked the footage. I think they may already have some clues."

This reporter then went on to Silom Soi 9 - the site where earlier reports suggested the suspect might have gone to.

Athikrai Benjakul, a receptionist at the Nine @Silom Hostel, said police had visited the hostel to check customer records.

"The suspect did not stay at this hostel and as far as I know, he didn't stay in the other three hotels in the area either," he said.

However, he admitted that it was very difficult to find someone in that area of the city because there were no surveillance cameras in that alley and the closest security camera is on Sathorn Road.

Back at the motorcycle-taxi rank, Weerachai said all 12 members of the rank were working on Monday evening when the bomb exploded.

"I witnessed the aftermath with my own eyes and it was terrifying. I hope police catch the man who did this soon," he said.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/The-suspect-looked-very-calm-30267117.html


-- The Nation 2015-08-21

[ksamuiguy]

Where are the Sniffer Dogs?

[Carmine6]

Lumpini park? So did he ask to go to Lumpini, but have something else written on the paper, like Silom soi 9? Or was that the next taxi ride from Lumpini?

Now some of the other reports start to make sense. Some officials or reporters may be skipping the stop in the middle. Though, did he then go to the airport, and some other guy in a yellow shirt go to Soi 9?