Police chief says external and internal affairs aren't ruled out yet in Ratchaprasong bombing

[webfact]

National police chief says external and internal affairs aren't ruled out yet in Ratchaprasong bombing



BANGKOK: -- Royal Thai Police commissioner Pol Gen Somyot Poompunmuong said the police investigating the Ratchaprasong deadly bomb explosion have not ruled out either internal or external affairs as a motive to the bomb attack.

He said any theory that would be ruled out would have strong evidence to support it.

His statement last night came as he was calling on the public to help give information that included their video images on a second suspect in blue shirt seen to carry a bag to the footbridge underneath Taksin bridge on the same night when the bomb went off at Ratchaprasong.

A CCTV camera caught him at 7:21 pm on August 17, using his feet to slowly kick the back into the water. Sixteen hours later, an explosion happened in the water there sending a throng of people scrambling – but caused no injuries.

Police investigators believed he might be responsible for the explosion.

Pol Gen Somyot said last night the two explosions had links as the man in blue dropped the bomb into the water on the same night when the man in yellow planted the bomb at Erawan shrine.

But he said the bomb at Taksin bridge exploded the next day, indicating it was set to go off but through which way was still under examination.

However he said fragments found at both explosion scenes shown similarity, particularly the ball bearings.

He said the police now have known some of them but declined to elaborate, saying the police are tracing them.

He sought for cooperation from the public on giving information of this man in blue shirt.

A security camera captured the man carrying a plastic bag onto the footbridge underneath Taksin bridge at 7:21 pm last Monday.

Police initially claimed someone threw the bomb from Taksin bridge passing over the Chao Phraya River.

But repeated simulations of the throwing with bricks did not produce the actual explosion at the footbridge, which connects to a pier on the river frequented by tourists

Later checks of all video footages from CCTV cameras showed the man in blue walking to the bridge with the bag.

According to Khaosod website which released the video footage, a man in a blue shirt wearing a messenger bag walks onto the footbridge carrying what appears to be a plastic bag of some weight.

As foot traffic continues behind him over the busy bridge, he sets the bag down at its edge, pulls out his phone and uses it for awhile, appearing to speak into it for some moments. He puts the phone away, then appears to receive an incoming call.

Nearly three minutes after loitering on the bridge, he retrieves the bag, moves closer to the center of the bridge and sets it down again. While gazing out over the Chao Phraya River, he subtly nudges it over the side and into the water with his foot then immediate leaves the bridge from the way he came.

At 1 pm on Tuesday August 18, something exploded in the water, the force of which sent an eruption of water in all directions from the same spot where the bag was dropped in.

A number of commentators have suggested the blue bag carried onto the footbridge resembles the bag the suspected Bangkok bomber carried in and out of the Erawan shrine, Khaosod said.

What appears to be the same man who dropped the bag into the water has been found in other security camera footage.

About 11 minutes before stepping onto the bridge, he was walking south on the west side of Sathorn road toward the river and pier.

He’s walking from the same direction as a neighborhood where motorcycle taxi drivers said they gave rides to a man several times between December and February who matched photos from immigration and a possibly fake passport this week.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/national-police-chief-says-external-and-internal-affairs-arent-ruled-out-yet-in-ratchaprasong-bombing


-- Thai PBS 2015-08-24

[kotsak]

[carstenp]

Kotsat. I liked you post, because it says it all. We have seen police work like this, elsewhere in Thailand, and i really think this is sad and make me sad.

If they don't find this people there is behind this, it can be a new trend, because its easy to do and the police is unable to find them. I hope from deep of my heart the police this time will do a good work. How can people feel safe when here in the future

[daoyai]

Say what you will about the police work, you have to agree, the hats are impressive.

[user82374298374]

>But repeated simulations of the throwing with bricks did not produce the actual explosion at the footbridge, which connects to a pier on the river frequented by tourists

It's reassuring to know that throwing bricks didn't produce an 'actual explosion'. It would be quite alarming if they did.

[klauskunkel]

Police chief says external and internal affairs aren't ruled out yet in Ratchaprasong bombing

Give that man another medal, maybe he will collapse

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

to the BIB, it is better to say nothing and have people think you are stupid, rather than to speak and prove them right!!!

[toybits]

He's got that one pretty well covered now, hasn't he? Internal and External affairs. Any more possibilities? What about paranormal affairs?

[Prbkk]

He's got that one pretty well covered now, hasn't he? Internal and External affairs. Any more possibilities? What about paranormal affairs?

Be patient and don't discount the possibility.

[oneday]

"...says external and internal affairs aren't ruled out yet in Ratchaprasong bombing..."

= We know nothing!

[Tonawatchee]

Kotsat. I liked you post, because it says it all. We have seen police work like this, elsewhere in Thailand, and i really think this is sad and make me sad.

If they don't find this people there is behind this, it can be a new trend, because its easy to do and the police is unable to find them. I hope from deep of my heart the police this time will do a good work. How can people feel safe when here in the future

What does the RTP have to loose, besides face, in asking other technically advanced countries for some extra help. I almost wonder if there is something they want to keep to themselves.

[Emster23]

"have not ruled out either internal or external affairs as a motive to the bomb attack."

That basically covers the waterfront I would say UNLESS the perps happen to be camped out right on the border lines. Better look into that!

[Artisi]

Say what you will about the police work, you have to agree, the hats are impressive.

Well, you need something on the shoulders that can be considered somewhat impressive.

Edited August 24, 2015 by Artisi

[The Deerhunter]

It is almost certainly el-crappo translation again. I know it's fun for some people who make these incidents the big highlight of their day. Surely he was simply mistranslated in saying that the police still do not know if the bombing was work of local people doing it for local reasons or if it was all an overseas job (like ISIS, Al Qaeda etc). Or if it was locals paying overseas bombers to do their dirty work. And they will take strong evidence from some source to make them ignore any possibilities. In other words "All bets are still on the table. We are following every lead but we have no clear line of investigation"

If you read the item carefully there are several other curious comments like bricks not exploding and something silly about the similarity between bomb fragments. I put them down to poor translation again. They were probably talking about getting the trajectory of thrown bricks to follow where they originally thought the bomb had been thrown from. etc etc. Try to use common sense and not seize on everything to make others look stupid when there are simple alternatives

Like the other day they were saying in the headlines that the other two or three people who masked the bombers actions had "been identified." What they were saying was that they were positive that they had identified that they were involved as accessories in the plot. Many times these mis-translations are just poor journalism, poor English or poor translation. Other times i think they are trying to sell newspapers by making news where there is none.

Edited August 24, 2015 by The Deerhunter

[bangon04]

to the BIB, it is better to say nothing and have people think you are stupid, rather than to speak and prove them right!!!

and still the National Police Chief keeps talking drivel...

"He said any theory that would be ruled out would have strong evidence to support it."

I sorta hope something was lost in translation, but cannot be sure.....

[allan michaud]

Just been reading quotes from earlier today, this beggars belief.

"Have you seen CSI?" Pol Gen Somyot asked reporters. ''We don't have that,'' he said, referring to high-tech (and also fictitious) equipment that can render blurry footage clear.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha earlier suggested that police and Pol Gen Somyot should watch another show from US television network CBS, Blue Bloods, to help them with their investigation.

Is there anyone left out there that is not entirely convinced how incompetent these people are?

What amazing statements will tomorrow bring I wonder?

[allan michaud]

It is almost certainly el-crappo translation again. I know it's fun for some people who make these incidents the big highlight of their day. Surely he was simply mistranslated in saying that the police still do not know if the bombing was work of local people doing it for local reasons or if it was all an overseas job (like ISIS, Al Qaeda etc). Or if it was locals paying overseas bombers to do their dirty work. And they will take strong evidence from some source to make them ignore any possibilities. In other words "All bets are still on the table. We are following every lead but we have no clear line of investigation"

If you read the item carefully there are several other curious comments like bricks not exploding and something silly about the similarity between bomb fragments. I put them down to poor translation again. They were probably talking about getting the trajectory of thrown bricks to follow where they originally thought the bomb had been thrown from. etc etc. Try to use common sense and not seize on everything to make others look stupid when there are simple alternatives

Like the other day they were saying in the headlines that the other two or three people who masked the bombers actions had "been identified." What they were saying was that they were positive that they had identified that they were involved as accessories in the plot. Many times these mis-translations are just poor journalism, poor English or poor translation. Other times i think they are trying to sell newspapers by making news where there is none.

While I agree that much of this is just bad translation, some quotes cannot be ignored. From elsewhere today...

"Have you seen CSI?" Pol Gen Somyot asked reporters. ''We don't have that,'' he said, referring to high-tech (and totally fictitious) equipment that can render blurry footage clear.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha earlier suggested that police and Pol Gen Somyot should watch another show from US television network CBS, Blue Bloods, to help them with their investigation.

After 15 years out this way I have heard some real dumb comments from leaders and high ranking officials, but "Have you seen CSI?..." goes straight to the top of the pile of dumb-assed comments that I will never be able to forget. I am not sure how he can regain face after that.