Bangkok Bomb Suspect Arrested

[jwongbkk]

once again, the efficient RTP working its best, much better than FBI, CIA, Scotland Yard, KGB!!!
Congrats! You gonna get a multiple promotion soon RTP Chief!

However, I wonder if the trials will last as long as KT? hmmmm

[luk AJ]

I'd recommend you all check out Bkk Post's Sunday update. It wasn't just the landlord who tipped -off RTP, they searched all mobile phone calls, found 3 with roaming SIMs from Turkey (which shows how questionable the SIM registration requirement is until all countries enforce it).

I also read this article and IMO this put a big question mark behind the whole operation. Why would these Turks use Turkish sim cards?? This doesn't make sense. I think the investigators don't want to expose the info source.

Maybe to avoid the mandatory SIM registration that was supposed to go in effect in July(?), now it has been postponed.

They can get explosives, fake passports but would have a problem getting unidentifiable thai SIM cards? So they use their Turkish SIM cards?

[mark131v]

To me, the big question is: what was the motive?

If the evidence was planted by police to scapegoat another foreigner--who can't defend themselves in Thai courts, then there will be little mention of motive. Just get it done and out of the news. But if this is the real bad guy, one would think they would discover some sort of motive, and perhaps links to others who may have helped. So far, no international group has claimed responsibility--which is unusual. I can't think of any particular problems between Turkey and Thailand that might have motivated, but maybe they exist.

If this is not the real guy, then the perps will feel like they got away with it and you can be sure they will strike again.

If this is the real bad guy, what was the motive?

Give yourself peace with this scapegoat rubbish.

National police chief General Somyot Poompunmuang became obviously annoyed yesterday when a reporter asked him if the arrested man happened to be a scapegoat. He said such a question was "not constructive".[/size]

Can't you just accept that the Thai Police have done a great job apprehending this scumbag.

The photokit was spot on as far as I can see when you allow for the fact the guy probably hasn't eaten or slept for a week in fear of being caught.

If you care to read what has been said his motive was personal.

Like all good investigators they are not prepared to commit to definite statements until they know the whole truth.

Nothing unusual about that. [/size]

"Like all good investigators.."

Wow. You really should stay away from the lao khao in the morning!

A broken watch is right twice a day but that doesn't make it fit for purpose or good at the job it was designed to do

I really hope they have got the scumbags involved but all these dreamers congratulating the RTP on a job well done for acting on a tip off after offering a large reward are deluded

Nothing in my opinion has changed with the police farce in the last 24 hours, they are still lazy incompetent and corrupt as they have proven time and again over decades, but like the broken watch maybe, just maybe they have the right guy this time so lets see how the RTP now progress with the person given to them in the tip off

Lets hope they don't bugger things up by showing things that don't exist such as suicide vests and making contradictory statements...oops too late...

[Mackie]

Come on guys, give them some credit. Whether this guy was involved or not, he was caught with over 200 hundred fake passports and bomb equipment at his apartment. Good enough for me to lock him up for a long time. And if he doesn't cooperate, fly in few US experts to make him talk. I'm almost certain a foreign intelligence service tipped Thais off with regard to phone calls. They record everything. It takes time to comb through the data.

[coulson]

Come on guys, give them some credit. Whether this guy was involved or not, he was caught with over 200 hundred fake passports and bomb equipment at his apartment. Good enough for me to lock him up for a long time. And if he doesn't cooperate, fly in few US experts to make him talk. I'm almost certain a foreign intelligence service tipped Thais off with regard to phone calls. They record everything. It takes time to comb through the data.

How are you almost certain of that?

[elgordo38]

If he only speaks a foreign language lets hope they get a better translator than they did with the Burma Boys. I guess lawyering up is out of the question. He should have a medical from a doctor before the "gentle genitals boys" come. With all that evidence "stacked" against him forget "innocent before proven guilty" case closed. On a more serious note the evidence seems to be presented piece meal first a set of scissors lighters batteries innocent enough. All those passports seem to work against this guy. Then they show small BB's and then we step up to fuses, pipes, vest? Boy the TV armchair boys have had a field day with this. Some comments were good others well lets say "fighting words" A lot of good points were made re Sim cards, bring in the taxi driver to identify the guy, who is he really? Lets hope if the public helped the reward money is paid out. I think a tip cracked this case as just recently the BIB said they had nothing to go on. Funny this guy was there like a sitting duck and this was covered quite extensively. He could be a link only in a chain sooo lets see what happens in the weeks to come.

[mikemac]

I take back what I wrote earlier about there not being a possible motive for Turks to do this. However I really really find it very unsettling that after the arrest a police official again said something to the effect of "we know the perpetrator wasn't Thai, because a Thai couldn't do something like this" exactly what was said after the Brits being killed in Koh Tao. I and I know many other find that very disturbing and questionable...

I agree, probably after being in and out of Thailand since 2005 I know full well what Thai people are capable of doing to one another. No different to any other country.

And surely the RTP are aware of what the reds and yellows did to one another, especially in the years 2010 & 2014. They should know, they stood by and watched most of it.

So being an extended tourist for 10 years enables you to know the Thai people. I've worked with them for over double that, speak the language, and know that no Thai would EVER commit this crime. It takes a LONG time to get into the mind of the Thai people..

OK, perhaps you share the same problem as tb, read my comment again. I was referring to "what Thai people are capable of doing to one another", as in what happened during the political protests and counter-protests of 2010 & 2014. Was not referring to the bombing in the op.

Apologize for being off topic.

[Brewster67]

Come on guys, give them some credit. Whether this guy was involved or not, he was caught with over 200 hundred fake passports and bomb equipment at his apartment. Good enough for me to lock him up for a long time. And if he doesn't cooperate, fly in few US experts to make him talk. I'm almost certain a foreign intelligence service tipped Thais off with regard to phone calls. They record everything. It takes time to comb through the data.

Seems to me that you are as delusional as the RTP.

[Mackie]

Come on guys, give them some credit. Whether this guy was involved or not, he was caught with over 200 hundred fake passports and bomb equipment at his apartment. Good enough for me to lock him up for a long time. And if he doesn't cooperate, fly in few US experts to make him talk. I'm almost certain a foreign intelligence service tipped Thais off with regard to phone calls. They record everything. It takes time to comb through the data.

How are you almost certain of that?

Thais don't have the means and sophisticated technology to collect and analyse all electronic and phone communications.

[JHolmesJr]

I am glad they got their man…..he really does look like the evil mastermind and ringleader.

Guess their all out general crackdown on crime really yielded some result.

[metisdead]

A troll post has been removed.

[lildragon]

Well done Junta

Not content with stripping the Thai people of their rights, freedom and voices and driving the nations economy into the ditch - they're ineptitude at governing the country has now piled more misery upon its long suffering citizenry by unnecessarily inviting international terrorism to these shores by their repulsive and shameful treatment of Uighur refuges.

I see what you are saying : never send terrorists back to their country because someone might put a bomb in your capital city. I think this bomb suggests the Junta were right.

Excellent advice : don't do anything for fear of being attacked. I wonder what the world would be like if it was full of people like you.

Would Thai people be speaking German or Japanese now ?.

Armchair critics : 10 a penny. And most of them not worth even that.

"I see what you are saying : never send terrorists back to their country because someone might put a bomb in your capital city."

So the Uyghurs that were sent to China were terrorists? Were they convicted of this or is this just the opinion of one armchair critic?

" I think this bomb suggests the Junta were right."

Not a great surprise. Every time you break wind I guess you see it as a sign the junta is right...

Funny cos he was harping on about it being red shirts before this reveal. Him and jamie, bet they are gutted that it wasn't the case so they could sneer up from there lofty towers or smug, self satisfaction.

[Fat Haggis]

The SIM cards are a moot point they were handing free DTAC happy tourist SIM cards at swampy 2 weeks ago seems the airport forgot to get the memo.

As for international roaming sims, you are paying for that charge through the nose by your service provider back in your home country or at least you used to be.

[Fat Haggis]

Well done Junta

Not content with stripping the Thai people of their rights, freedom and voices and driving the nations economy into the ditch - they're ineptitude at governing the country has now piled more misery upon its long suffering citizenry by unnecessarily inviting international terrorism to these shores by their repulsive and shameful treatment of Uighur refuges.

I see what you are saying : never send terrorists back to their country because someone might put a bomb in your capital city. I think this bomb suggests the Junta were right.

Excellent advice : don't do anything for fear of being attacked. I wonder what the world would be like if it was full of people like you.

Would Thai people be speaking German or Japanese now ?.

Armchair critics : 10 a penny. And most of them not worth even that.

"I see what you are saying : never send terrorists back to their country because someone might put a bomb in your capital city."

So the Uyghurs that were sent to China were terrorists? Were they convicted of this or is this just the opinion of one armchair critic?

" I think this bomb suggests the Junta were right."

Not a great surprise. Every time you break wind I guess you see it as a sign the junta is right...

Funny cos he was harping on about it being red shirts before this reveal. Him and jamie, bet they are gutted that it wasn't the case so they could sneer up from there lofty towers or smug, self satisfaction.

There's a few others too I could mention but won't bother as it's clear they have no shame going off half cocked.

Armchair critics are indeed ten a penny, he's one of the biggest on this forum!!

[Lukecan]

The guy who shot the pope was Mehmet Ali Agca . Yes he is a turk, but he wasnt tied to any terror organization at that time. He was just a lunatic and got bored and decided to shoot the pope to garner media attention really. Thats about it.

[Brewster67]

Well done Junta

Not content with stripping the Thai people of their rights, freedom and voices and driving the nations economy into the ditch - they're ineptitude at governing the country has now piled more misery upon its long suffering citizenry by unnecessarily inviting international terrorism to these shores by their repulsive and shameful treatment of Uighur refuges.

I see what you are saying : never send terrorists back to their country because someone might put a bomb in your capital city. I think this bomb suggests the Junta were right.

Excellent advice : don't do anything for fear of being attacked. I wonder what the world would be like if it was full of people like you.

Would Thai people be speaking German or Japanese now ?.

Armchair critics : 10 a penny. And most of them not worth even that.

"I see what you are saying : never send terrorists back to their country because someone might put a bomb in your capital city."

So the Uyghurs that were sent to China were terrorists? Were they convicted of this or is this just the opinion of one armchair critic?

" I think this bomb suggests the Junta were right."

Not a great surprise. Every time you break wind I guess you see it as a sign the junta is right...

Funny cos he was harping on about it being red shirts before this reveal. Him and jamie, bet they are gutted that it wasn't the case so they could sneer up from there lofty towers or smug, self satisfaction.

So in the face of all the illogical doubt surrounding this arrest, you have come to the conclusion that this is in fact the person... case closed?

If I were you I would wait before you close the book on this.... Far too much doubtful and so called evidence.

This is probably the classic example of 'if we can't catch him, we will catch someone'. How many times have we seen it?

[boomerangutang]

20 months ago, I got in trouble for starting a small fire near the river in northern Thailand. I was clearing a path by the river which could be used by nature hikers. I was apprehended by a villager and then cops showed up later. We went to the scene of the crime. My fire had gone out and there wasn't even any smoke or embers in its rug-sized area. Cops needed a photo, so they picked a nearby spot, put a bunch of stick together and made a bonfire as big as a car. When the flames were roaring, they got me and other cops to stand in front of it, for the photo. Go figure.

You should refuse

By that time, I was v. eager to get it done and get home to dinner. It's not easy to refuse 7 cops in uniform when they firmly escort you to stand in front of a fire they set, for a photo-op. I did, however make several mentions of 'who started that fire! It sure wasn't me!' and they chuckled good-naturedly. They knew it was all a low-class show. Even the cop at the station who wrote me up (no fine, btw, which surprised me) was acting all friendly, and wanted a smiling photo of us together as if I was a small-town celebrity.

Regarding the poster who though I should be strung up and quartered for starting a fire: Not even the locals thought it was a big deal. Every local in that rural area has fires nearly every day. The jungle grows so fast here, if you leave your sandals on the ground for 30 minutes, there will be vines growing over them, and maybe even toads housed inside. If I pointed out the spot where my fire was, 1 month later, you'd say I was lying because all you could see was thick masses of foliage as high as an elephant's eye. the only losers are the people who would have been able to hike that nature trail, if I'd been allowed to continue clearing it. Most Thais don't know or care about nature trails. Now that they have malls to hang out at, nature is incidental. Sorry for being off-topic.

[lildragon]

Well done Junta

Not content with stripping the Thai people of their rights, freedom and voices and driving the nations economy into the ditch - they're ineptitude at governing the country has now piled more misery upon its long suffering citizenry by unnecessarily inviting international terrorism to these shores by their repulsive and shameful treatment of Uighur refuges.

I see what you are saying : never send terrorists back to their country because someone might put a bomb in your capital city. I think this bomb suggests the Junta were right.

Excellent advice : don't do anything for fear of being attacked. I wonder what the world would be like if it was full of people like you.

Would Thai people be speaking German or Japanese now ?.

Armchair critics : 10 a penny. And most of them not worth even that.

"I see what you are saying : never send terrorists back to their country because someone might put a bomb in your capital city."

So the Uyghurs that were sent to China were terrorists? Were they convicted of this or is this just the opinion of one armchair critic?

" I think this bomb suggests the Junta were right."

Not a great surprise. Every time you break wind I guess you see it as a sign the junta is right...

Funny cos he was harping on about it being red shirts before this reveal. Him and jamie, bet they are gutted that it wasn't the case so they could sneer up from there lofty towers or smug, self satisfaction.

So in the face of all the illogical doubt surrounding this arrest, you have come to the conclusion that this is in fact the person... case closed?

If I were you I would wait before you close the book on this.... Far too much doubtful and so called evidence.

This is probably the classic example of 'if we can't catch him, we will catch someone'. How many times have we seen it?

For the authorities this isn't just a case of a coupled of murdered tourists that they can stitch a few patsies up for. This is an international incident with 20 deaths and 200 injuries. Not something they can sweep under the carpet. The RTP and military are two bent organizations but all eyes are on them.

Quite a lot for them to set up some rented rooms, bombing equipment and 20 fake passports for the sake of catching someone don't you think?

[Fat Haggis]

Well done Junta

Not content with stripping the Thai people of their rights, freedom and voices and driving the nations economy into the ditch - they're ineptitude at governing the country has now piled more misery upon its long suffering citizenry by unnecessarily inviting international terrorism to these shores by their repulsive and shameful treatment of Uighur refuges.

I see what you are saying : never send terrorists back to their country because someone might put a bomb in your capital city. I think this bomb suggests the Junta were right.

Excellent advice : don't do anything for fear of being attacked. I wonder what the world would be like if it was full of people like you.

Would Thai people be speaking German or Japanese now ?.

Armchair critics : 10 a penny. And most of them not worth even that.

"I see what you are saying : never send terrorists back to their country because someone might put a bomb in your capital city."

So the Uyghurs that were sent to China were terrorists? Were they convicted of this or is this just the opinion of one armchair critic?

" I think this bomb suggests the Junta were right."

Not a great surprise. Every time you break wind I guess you see it as a sign the junta is right...

Funny cos he was harping on about it being red shirts before this reveal. Him and jamie, bet they are gutted that it wasn't the case so they could sneer up from there lofty towers or smug, self satisfaction.

So in the face of all the illogical doubt surrounding this arrest, you have come to the conclusion that this is in fact the person... case closed?

If I were you I would wait before you close the book on this.... Far too much doubtful and so called evidence.

This is probably the classic example of 'if we can't catch him, we will catch someone'. How many times have we seen it?

I don't read into anything lildragon wrote as thinking the person in custody was the main guy, if anything I'd say the opposite that he's sceptical of the RTPs claims, like many here.

[lildragon]

I can't bring myself to say 'trust' the RTP and the authorities here given their track record but this is a lot of vested interest in this. Lots of Chinese died and it is this administration that likened their new best buddies as a sexy woman. Best to keep her impressed eh?

[blowin]

Come on guys, give them some credit. Whether this guy was involved or not, he was caught with over 200 hundred fake passports and bomb equipment at his apartment. Good enough for me to lock him up for a long time. And if he doesn't cooperate, fly in few US experts to make him talk. I'm almost certain a foreign intelligence service tipped Thais off with regard to phone calls. They record everything. It takes time to comb through the data.

How are you almost certain of that?

Thais don't have the means and sophisticated technology to collect and analyse all electronic and phone communications.

The good old US of A and their buddies in Israel have! They are both heavily embedded in the land smiles.

[beammeup]

They should be able to find traces of the explosives in his apartment and confirm all. Hopefully they will have a teem of international forensic experts.

[mcfish]

As someone above pointed out, the perps had 2 weeks to get the 'ell out of Dodge and yet this guy is found pottering around in his apartment knee-deep in bomb paraphernalia. Don't make no sense.

And coming back to the motive for the attack, Uighurs? So, where's the claim of responsibility? They can blow stuff up and kill people but without a public statement it doesn't amount to hill of beans (politically).

I am still going with 1) this guy wasn't involved and 2) there was message sent by the perps that was suppressed by the authorities because it had to do with the military junta/coup etc.

It makes perfect sense. The second that bomb went off, airports and border checks would have gone high alert and not the best time to be traveling on that dodgy passport.

There he is with a pack of ball bearings in that pic suggests to me there is a strong chance he felt safe and now ready for another bomb

You sure of that. They didn't have a picture for a long time. High alert?

Every time there is an explosion in Bangkok the airport and immigration.. goes on high alert. I don't think so.

Well of course you know this with 20/20 hindsight however all that matters is what the bomber thought and obviously he figured it was to risky or he has unfinished business. Where your dead wrong is that immigration does not need a photo to go on high alert.

[Lukecan]

How come RTP is not seeking the help of barstool investigators on TV

[kiwikeith]

Come on guys, give them some credit. Whether this guy was involved or not, he was caught with over 200 hundred fake passports and bomb equipment at his apartment. Good enough for me to lock him up for a long time. And if he doesn't cooperate, fly in few US experts to make him talk. I'm almost certain a foreign intelligence service tipped Thais off with regard to phone calls. They record everything. It takes time to comb through the data.

How are you almost certain of that?

Thais don't have the means and sophisticated technology to collect and analyse all electronic and phone communications.

Oh yes they do the networks have records of every phone call made, and have done so for a long time, although I don't think they record conversation just caller ID numbers from caller A to caller B.

[kiwikeith]

Come on guys, give them some credit. Whether this guy was involved or not, he was caught with over 200 hundred fake passports and bomb equipment at his apartment. Good enough for me to lock him up for a long time. And if he doesn't cooperate, fly in few US experts to make him talk. I'm almost certain a foreign intelligence service tipped Thais off with regard to phone calls. They record everything. It takes time to comb through the data.

How are you almost certain of that?

Thais don't have the means and sophisticated technology to collect and analyse all electronic and phone communications.

Oh yes they do the networks have records of every phone call made, and have done so for a long time, although I don't think they record conversation just caller ID numbers from caller A to caller B.

Another foreign news report reuters I think quotes an interview with the nieghbour who said there was another man going to the apartment and he looked similar but was much taller, now that dont sound like scapegoat to me, to me this sounds like genuine.

[BeefSlapper]

Turkish embassy says he is not thier citizen

http://twitter.com/RichardBarrow/status/637888008574730241

[JingerBen]

How come RTP is not seeking the help of barstool investigators on TV

Maybe they are .

Who knows what they read?

[Thai at Heart]

As someone above pointed out, the perps had 2 weeks to get the 'ell out of Dodge and yet this guy is found pottering around in his apartment knee-deep in bomb paraphernalia. Don't make no sense.

And coming back to the motive for the attack, Uighurs? So, where's the claim of responsibility? They can blow stuff up and kill people but without a public statement it doesn't amount to hill of beans (politically).

I am still going with 1) this guy wasn't involved and 2) there was message sent by the perps that was suppressed by the authorities because it had to do with the military junta/coup etc.

It makes perfect sense. The second that bomb went off, airports and border checks would have gone high alert and not the best time to be traveling on that dodgy passport.

There he is with a pack of ball bearings in that pic suggests to me there is a strong chance he felt safe and now ready for another bomb

You sure of that. They didn't have a picture for a long time. High alert?

Every time there is an explosion in Bangkok the airport and immigration.. goes on high alert. I don't think so.

Well of course you know this with 20/20 hindsight however all that matters is what the bomber thought and obviously he figured it was to risky or he has unfinished business. Where your dead wrong is that immigration does not need a photo to go on high alert.

Well, that's by the by, but who exactly are they going to search for without a picture. For the first hour or so if not longer they had no idea this was terrorism...

Why would immigration be interested. For ages they claimed it wasn't international.

[kiwikeith]

Turkish embassy says he is not thier citizen

http://twitter.com/RichardBarrow/status/637888008574730241

They can say that as he has a false passport, maybe when the 6pm news report comes out we will know what his native tounge is then his nationality.

I would also like to know if the man named by media reports as a turkish citizen and the tennant of all five apartments is a turkish citizen