Authorities defend quick cleanup

[Lite Beer]

Authorities defend quick cleanup
PRATCH RUJIVANAROM
THE NATION

Government officials, police chiefs and members of the Ratchaprasong community attend the multi-faith religious ceremony at Erawan Shrine yesterday.

BANGKOK: -- FORENSIC TEAMS FOLLOWED PROCEDURE, SAY POLICE; PUBLIC TOLD NOT TO KEEP SHRAPNEL

POLICE SPENT only 12 hours to collect evidence from the Erawan bomb site, sparking suspicion over their procedure. However, the Central Scientific Crime Detection Division insisted that no more than 12 hours was required to gather all necessary evidence for the investigation.

Pol Maj-General Tawatchai Mekprasetkul, chief of the division, said yesterday that the forensics team had collected the evidence efficiently, following the correct procedures. He said that critics did not have enough knowledge of their measures.

National police chief General Somyot Poompanmuang backed Tawatchai, and insisted that the evidence team had done their job and followed normal procedure.

Criticism alleging a rushed evidence-collection procedure was brought to the public's notice by British Broadcasting Corp (BBC) journalist Jonathan Head, who found ball bearings and shrapnel at the bomb site on Thursday.

After the explosion on Monday evening, police sealed off the area to help the injured, check for other bombs and collect evidence. However, by noon the following day, traffic resumed, and the Erawan Shrine was reopened on Wednesday.

Tawatchai said that immediately after the blast scene was secured at around 8pm, the forensic team began collecting evidence until 1am and then resumed at 6am on Tuesday until the job was done by noon. It took about 12 hours, he said.

"The police has been following the procedure of collecting remaining evidence from the scene. We split into two teams - Explosive Ordnance Disposal [EOD] group to collect bomb evidence and a forensics team to gather information on the bomb suspect. The two teams worked together and we are sure that not a single clue has been left out," he explained. "Those complaining about this do not understand the forensic teams' work procedure."

As for the shrapnel and ball bearings found by Head, they could be part of something else that blew up in the explosion.

"It was big blast, so a lot of scrap from the explosion flew all around. The police have only chosen what is useful as evidence in the case," he said.

Assistant national police chief Lt-General Prawut Thavornsiri also said that he had already taken the evidence found by Head and passed it on to the EOD team for inspection, adding that anything found by anybody at the scene should be handed to police immediately.

As for the rushed clean-up, Prawut said this was because the area is a major tourist attraction and if the area is closed for too long, it will make people feel more unsafe and affect tourism.

Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra also said it was the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's job to clean up the area as the police did not need to collect any more evidence.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Authorities-defend-quick-cleanup-30267170.html

-- The Nation 2015-08-22

[HeijoshinCool]

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As for the rushed clean-up, Prawut said this was because the area is a major tourist attraction and if the area is closed for too long, it will make people feel more unsafe and affect tourism.

Uh, but you just insisted you didn't rush it.

[thesetat2013]

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As for the rushed clean-up, Prawut said this was because the area is a major tourist attraction and if the area is closed for too long, it will make people feel more unsafe and affect tourism.

Uh, but you just insisted you didn't rush it.

You know as well as everyone it is all about money. The longer they stayed closed the more monetary losses they will incur. A quick, buy maybe not thorough job, with enough evidence to make a conviction should they ever catch the bomber and then an even faster cleanup to make it look as if all is well and safe again to get the tourists back.

[Toknarok]

Quote The police have only chosen what is useful as evidence in the case,

The very fact that Jonothan Head collected parts of what was obviously from the bomb shows how incompetent this investigation has been from the very start. 12 hours to collect evidence - unbelievable. When the 7th July bombings took place in London the authorities took MONTHS gathering evidence, even though they knew all the bombers had suicided.

[metisdead]

A troll post has been removed.

[Dibbler]

What kind of police investigation leaves evidence at the scene of a crime?? An incompetent investigation or an investigation where motivation to solve the case was tempered by consideration for how the findings would reflect on the government. We'll probably never know the cause or the suspects and that's just the way they want it. I think many of us have been smelling rats, and larger animals, as the "investigation" goes on.

[MZurf]

It probably wouldn't have mattered if they closed the place for a year. From what I've seen in photos and footage from this and other crime scenes in Thailand it seems that the higher ranking cops consider this a photo op and trundle around poking at stuff while the crime techs are pushed over in a corner.

As with everything else it's all about saving/gaining face so actually achieving something is less important.

Face; the bane of Thailand.

[Bluespunk]

"The police has been following the procedure of collecting remaining evidence from the scene. We split into two teams - Explosive Ordnance Disposal [EOD] group to collect bomb evidence and a forensics team to gather information on the bomb suspect. The two teams worked together and we are sure that not a single clue has been left out," he explained. "Those complaining about this do not understand the forensic teams' work procedure."

Judging from your defence and explanation of your actions neither do you.

[NongKhaiKid]

"The police has been following the procedure of collecting remaining evidence from the scene. We split into two teams - Explosive Ordnance Disposal [EOD] group to collect bomb evidence and a forensics team to gather information on the bomb suspect. The two teams worked together and we are sure that not a single clue has been left out," he explained. "Those complaining about this do not understand the forensic teams' work procedure."

Judging from your defence and explanation of your actions neither do you.

Spot On.

With so much expertise deployed why, after an indecently quick clean up, could the BBC and residents be finding shrapnel etc and the obscenity of a body part falling from a tree, as was reported ?

Lots of questions that will never be answered and as with Koh Tau they did a great job and that's all anyone needs to know.

[HeijoshinCool]

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"Those complaining about this do not understand the forensic teams' work procedure."

I spent a good portion of my life at crime scenes, K. Tawatchai, and I agree with you … I do not understand your "forensic team's work procedure."

Tawatchai said that immediately after the blast scene was secured at around 8pm, the forensic team began collecting evidence until 1am and then resumed at 6am on Tuesday until the job was done by noon. It took about 12 hours, he said.

First of all, the scene was never, never "secured." Not by any stretch of anyone's imagination.

Secondly, 20 people horrifically murdered, and you work just 5 hours then go out for a beer and a good night's sleep, come back in the morning and tidy up a 50,000 square foot crime scene in just six hours.

[sungod]

Quote The police have only chosen what is useful as evidence in the case,

The very fact that Jonothan Head collected parts of what was obviously from the bomb shows how incompetent this investigation has been from the very start. 12 hours to collect evidence - unbelievable. When the 7th July bombings took place in London the authorities took MONTHS gathering evidence, even though they knew all the bombers had suicided.

So the London Underground was closed for months?

[Fat Haggis]

It doesn't say the underground was closed for months, it says evidence took months, big difference.

Face it, the Thais rushed this, especially when "evidence" was being found AFTER they cleaned it up!!

[catinthehat]

This was all that was needed to be said in the article:

"As for the rushed clean-up, Prawut said this was because the area is a major tourist attraction and if the area is closed for too long, it will make people feel more unsafe and affect tourism."

[catinthehat]

As for the shrapnel and ball bearings found by Head, they could be part of something else that blew up in the explosion.

"It was big blast, so a lot of scrap from the explosion flew all around. The police have only chosen what is useful as evidence in the case," he said.

Assistant national police chief Lt-General Prawut Thavornsiri also said that he had already taken the evidence found by Head and passed it on to the EOD team for inspection, adding that anything found by anybody at the scene should be handed to police immediately.

I saw the video where the BBC attempted to handover the evidence at the RTP HQ. I wonder if LT Gen PT saw that his minnions turned the BBC away.

Worse than any keystone cops ever!!!!!! Complete incompetence.

[user82374298374]

Whether or not what the BBC found was part of 'something else that blew up in the explosion' (e.g., motorcycle engine parts of whatever), it still should've been bagged and tagged.

But face is the most important thing in Asia, so it was imperative to scour away possible evidence (excepting the human body parts in the trees, apparently) in order to get the shrine repaired and demonstrate that 'all is well'.

[Pimay1]

National police chief General Somyot Poompanmuang backed Tawatchai, and insisted that the evidence team had done their job and followed normal procedure.

I believe that.

[taony]

"Tawatchai said that immediately after the blast scene was secured at around 8pm, the forensic team began collecting evidence until 1am and then resumed at 6am on Tuesday until the job was done by noon."

8PM is more than an hour after the explosion. And he must have a different definition of the word secured than the rest of mankind. There were massive amounts of evidence outside their perimeter as well.

""It was big blast, so a lot of scrap from the explosion flew all around. The police have only chosen what is useful as evidence in the case," he said."

My God.......

[taony]

National police chief General Somyot Poompanmuang backed Tawatchai, and insisted that the evidence team had done their job and followed normal procedure.

I believe that.

Yep, I don't think anyone is going to contest that statement at least.

[razer]

Life is cheap in Thailand. Even the life of an innocent 4 year old girl. Face is important in Asia but Thailand's idea of face is a little warped.

It is still primitive here.

[phoenixdoglover]

A powerful bomb exploded, killing 20 people and injuring 125.

Evidence collection procedures were "normal".

[Srikcir]

forensic teams' work procedure:

(1) ball bearing - check

(1) piece shrapnel - check

(1) bomb fragment - check

All done. What more needs to be said?

[NCC1701A]

i hired a Thai to pull out all the weeds from my yard. he did about 80% and then announced with a big smile that he was done.

[Nick167]

They should watch True Blood as suggested by Prayuth so that they can learn how to handle crime scenes!!!!!

[schlog]

Let me guess. They don't have to go on with this check if they know who did it. Right? Aren't there any similarities to the bombings in China? Maybe the big brother from China informed the thai side who is also this time the mastermind behind this bombing.

[alphaflight]

As for the shrapnel and ball bearings found by Head, they could be part of something else that blew up in the explosion.

"It was big blast, so a lot of scrap from the explosion flew all around. The police have only chosen what is useful as evidence in the case," he said.

Assistant national police chief Lt-General Prawut Thavornsiri also said that he had already taken the evidence found by Head and passed it on to the EOD team for inspection, adding that anything found by anybody at the scene should be handed to police immediately.

I saw the video where the BBC attempted to handover the evidence at the RTP HQ. I wonder if LT Gen PT saw that his minnions turned the BBC away.

Worse than any keystone cops ever!!!!!! Complete incompetence.

It wasn't the officers fault. It was a misunderstanding.........

[slapout]

About the only thing the RTP are real good at is marking the outline of a motorcycle involved in an accident. No not the injured but where the bike was when they (police) arrived.

Its a daly occurrance in Thailand to see or hear of police incompitance in many of the larger cities. It covers the complete range of duties they may be assigned to, from directing traffic to investigate homicides, gambling, underage drinking, bars open past hour, assults, rapes, robberies, etc. Of course they are rumored to be involved in many of these acts.so the correct term may be CYA. A disgrace to law enforment groups around the world.to even call them policemen.

[kerrysum]

It probably wouldn't have mattered if they closed the place for a year. From what I've seen in photos and footage from this and other crime scenes in Thailand it seems that the higher ranking cops consider this a photo op and trundle around poking at stuff while the crime techs are pushed over in a corner.

As with everything else it's all about saving/gaining face so actually achieving something is less important.

Face; the bane of Thailand.

I agree totally with your post, it is about and will always be, about saving face, and this is not just in Thailand, Thai's are the same way in America... And yes even my wife.....

JAO .......

[willyumiii]

Once evidence is destroyed or covered up, it is much easier to make up your own story(s) and sell them to the world.

This case will be "solved" soon.