Erawan bombing: Bangkok police say trail for bomber has gone cold

[webfact]

ERAWAN BOMBING
Police say trail for bomber has gone cold
THE NATION



Authorities say case progressing, foreign intelligence bodies have given more information

BANGKOK: -- ALTHOUGH the authorities reported progress yesterday in the investigation into the August 17 bombing in Bangkok, police admitted that the trail in the hunt for the bomber had gone cold.

National police chief Pol General Somyot Poompanmuang said yesterday that police were unsure whether the man who planted the explosive at the Erawan Shrine was still in Thailand. "We don't know if the suspect is still in the country, but I have to assume he is, because we have no information about him leaving," he said.

He also said that sooner or later, he was confident the culprit would be arrested.

"The police are working non-stop every day. For as long as I'm alive, I'm confident that the culprit will be arrested. Though I will retire soon, my successor will continue working on this case," he said.

The national police chief admitted that the bombing was the work of a professional and that the attack had been well planned, adding that the perpetrator had changed his mode of transport a few times before arriving at the shrine.

"He certainly wanted to cause confusion and make it difficult to trace him," Somyot said.

The explosion killed 20 people and injured more than 100 others. Up to 50 of the injured are still being treated in hospital.

Somyot also blamed the shortage of devices for the slow progress in investigation. He said police were looking to purchase a device that uses biometric technology to identify criminals based on their physical characteristics.

Meanwhile, National Council for Peace and Order spokesman Colonel Winthai Suvari said in a TV broadcast that the government has obtained information from foreign intelligence agencies about possible suspects who may be involved in the bombing. He said this information would help with the investigation.

Winthai explained that the blanket raids on locations frequented by tourists as part of the hunt for the bomber and his accomplices had led to the arrest of 139 suspects for the possession of firearms, ammunition and illicit drugs.

Police are also trying to identify the bomber through DNA tests. A senior forensics expert said yesterday that police were going to test pieces of the backpack containing the explosive device in the hope they might find a DNA sample of the culprit. Though the heat of the explosion may have destroyed all DNA traces.

As for testing two Bt20 banknotes the bomber handed to a motorcycle taxi driver, who had driven him away from the site of the blast, the source said those notes had not been handed to the forensics division.

Meanwhile, security measures at Government House have been heightened and parking in areas adjacent to the compound has been prohibited. Also, the Sunday market regularly held near the compound has been cancelled immediately without prior notice.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Police-say-trail-for-bomber-has-gone-cold-30267353.html


-- The Nation 2015-08-25

[waza]

Move along, there's nothing to see here.

[tbthailand]

they're just trying to lure the bomber into a false sense of security...

Edited August 24, 2015 by tbthailand

[BigBadGeordie]

Gone cold, were they ever "hot" on his trail?

[z42]

Is anybody surprised by the level of blundering and general numbskullery shown by the rtp? Pathetic

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Back to stopping schoolgirls for not wearing helmets lads; it's what you do best.

Edited August 25, 2015 by WinnieTheKhwai

[BSJ]

Why am I not surprised! If ever they needed Western policing technic's it was with this case!

[willyumiii]

" Winthai explained that the blanket raids on locations frequented by tourists as part of the hunt for the bomber and his accomplices had led to the arrest of 139 suspects for the possession of firearms, ammunition and illicit drugs"

I find this to be an interesting statement that raises a few questions...

Don't you?

[ikurauni]

The suspect could leave the country immediately after the bombing.

The investigation started from the following day.

The bomber had enough time to escape.

They never had a case like this and did not know what to do during the first 2 - 3 critical hours after the bombing.

I am very sorry for the victims.

[mca]

"He certainly wanted to cause confusion and make it difficult to trace him,"

Say it ain't so!

[BKKdreaming]

do they take your picture when you leave at land borders like they do at airports ?

[zaphod reborn]

What Somyot said: "The police are working non-stop every day. For as long as I'm alive, I'm confident that the culprit will be arrested. Though I will retire soon, my successor will continue working on this case," he said.

What Somyot really means: "I've checked out. I can smell the Cambodian casinos calling me."

[jaidam]

Once again CSI LA on facebook run by a Thai expat over in the USA has been doing all the leg-work on this case. I propose the RTP is shut-down immediately with all members under arrest without bail, and CSI-LA can take over police activities in Thailand. Something the junta had the chance to improve, but instead(and incredibly) made a totally discredited and loathed organization even more reviled and feared than it was just a few years ago.

[Laughing Gravy]

I don't want to be critical of the RTP but it is hard not to be. If they would have asked for help from foreign agencies straight away, such as Interpol and not had the arrogance and stupidity to think that cases like this one are done alone then maybe we would have seen someone in custody now. The RTP have only themselves to blame and with the western world looking in once again, they have shown just how incompetent they are once again.

[WitawatWatawit]

" Winthai explained that the blanket raids on locations frequented by tourists as part of the hunt for the bomber and his accomplices had led to the arrest of 139 suspects for the possession of firearms, ammunition and illicit drugs"

I find this to be an interesting statement that raises a few questions...

Don't you?

Sure. Like which locations. The nationalities. The exact charges of each individual, especially in regard to weapons. An interesting sideline story.

[willyumiii]

" Winthai explained that the blanket raids on locations frequented by tourists as part of the hunt for the bomber and his accomplices had led to the arrest of 139 suspects for the possession of firearms, ammunition and illicit drugs"

I find this to be an interesting statement that raises a few questions...

Don't you?

Sure. Like which locations. The nationalities. The exact charges of each individual, especially in regard to weapons. An interesting sideline story.

I was thinking about tourists with weapons and ammunition in Thailand...how did they get them into the country..or did they get them here?

The drugs, well you can find drugs anywhere, but to be foolish enough to mess with them in Thailand with Thailand's drug laws???

I guess fools can be found anywhere as well.

Edited August 25, 2015 by willyumiii

[MZurf]

"He certainly wanted to cause confusion and make it difficult to trace him,"

Say it ain't so!

A master criminal, indeed!

[Rykbanlor]

" Winthai explained that the blanket raids on locations frequented by tourists as part of the hunt for the bomber and his accomplices had led to the arrest of 139 suspects for the possession of firearms, ammunition and illicit drugs"

I find this to be an interesting statement that raises a few questions...

Don't you?

Sure. Like which locations. The nationalities. The exact charges of each individual, especially in regard to weapons. An interesting sideline story.

The exact charges of each individual - confiscate your piece, 500 baht fine, and you're back on the street sonny. Or is that too harsh? SInce they're on the trail of a bomber, maybe we'lll let you off this time.

[Artisi]

So cold, it would require zero kelvin to be re-assessed.

[DJVillain]

Why am I not surprised! If ever they needed Western policing technic's it was with this case!

If there was ever an excuse for 21st Century colonialism; this is it!

Thailand loves to brag about how it was never colonised... but they are getting left far behind the rest of the world with that pride and not accepting help from countries with infrastructures that are vastly superior...

[kennw]

CCTV security cameras are an integral part of the security operation for both locals and tourists. If so many are not working is this an indication of just how serious authorities are about their responsibility? Will anyone be called to task for their negligence? Stupid question, sorry!

[trigpoint]

do they take your picture when you leave at land borders like they do at airports ?

yes.

[JohnnyHK]

[Usernames]

do they take your picture when you leave at land borders like they do at airports ?

Supposed to.

[Chang_paarp]

I bet the RTP wish they had done a complete and professional forensic sweep of the site prior to reopening it to traffic. That is assuming they know what that is. Unfortunately they have shown their level of professionalism yet again in the full light of the international press.

[CosmicSurfer]

CCTV security cameras are an integral part of the security operation for both locals and tourists. If so many are not working is this an indication of just how serious authorities are about their responsibility? Will anyone be called to task for their negligence? Stupid question, sorry!

Who ever said those were "Security Cams"??? They are and have always been just "Traffic Cams"...

There was never any intention to be able to use them for security. That's why all the Fakes!!!

Fakes to scare the Traffic Violators... No Security operation would use Fakes... that Defeats the whole purpose!!

Also, Security Cams are Hi-Def... Traffic Cams are Low-Def !!! DUh.....

Logic and Common Sense..... The missing Link in Thailand!!

CS

[tx22cb]

And to think that Thai authorities spent 800 million Baht on 800 GT200 fake bomb detectors .... and no-one was held accountable nor prosecuted. What a laff.

[rijit]

'Gone cold' and 'i'm retiring' about says it all.

rijit

[rijit]

And to think that Thai authorities spent 800 million Baht on 800 GT200 fake bomb detectors .... and no-one was held accountable nor prosecuted. What a laff.

Scuze me if i'm missing something here but why on earth would you want a FAKE bomb detector?

rijit

[spidermike007]

My guess is that the work was not done by the local police, but rather the equivalent of the Thai FBI. So, the best and the brightest were involved in this. Real "experts". And this is the best they could do. The nation needs to spend billions of dollars revamping and upgrading law enforcement here. Tens of billions. Maybe hundreds of billions. Dollars, not baht. Will it be done? In our lifetimes?

Edited August 25, 2015 by spidermike007