webfact Posted August 30, 2015 Share Posted August 30, 2015 Is foreigner arrest a breakthrough moment for Thai police?BANGKOK - Police in Thailand are scrambling to find accomplices as they interrogate a foreign man whom investigators say is linked to the deadly bomb blast at Bangkok's Erawan religious shrine.His arrest on Saturday is the first major success since the unprecedented and unclaimed August 17 attack that killed 20 people, mostly ethnic Chinese from across Asia.Here is what we know about the latest in the investigation:- Is this arrest a breakthrough? -Authorities certainly think they’ve got their man -- or one of them at least. And they hope his capture will lead to others.Police say they believe he is part of a people-smuggling and passport forgery gang who might have hit back against authorities after a series of raids.That theory would for the first time give them a motive.The unidentified foreigner was seized Saturday morning. Investigators say he was found with bomb-making equipment and dozens of fake passports.Senior military figures in the junta-run kingdom are convinced he is linked to the bombing but have not detailed what role he may have played.Army chief Udomdej Sitabutr told AFP Sunday the detainee suspect was "absolutely involved" in the bomb attack.Defence Minister Prawit Wongswuwon said he was also sure the suspect was involved and police had "excellent" evidence.- What happens now? -Investigators are scrambling to find other members of this gang. They are trawling more than 1,000 phone numbers and hundreds of seized fake passports.On Sunday afternoon they conducted searches in a northeastern district of Bangkok, close to where the first man was detained. Both are mainly Muslim areas.But while multiple flats were searched, no suspects were found.- Any further clues to who the man is? -Police appear to be still trying to establish the man’s identity but some new information has come out.We now know he speaks some English. Among the translators used in an attempt to get him to talk is an English speaker.Police won’t be drawn on what other translators they are using."We think he can speak English and other languages," said national police spokesman Prawut Thavornsiri.The man was in possession of dozens of Turkish passports but police said they were fake.- Is the man talking? -No. Police say they began their interrogation at 7am Sunday but so far he is being uncooperative."He doesn’t provide much," Prawut said "[He said] where he came from but we don’t believe him. We need other evidence like DNA from his clothes and data from his mobile phone.""The interrogation is not making progress because the suspect is not really giving useful information," army chief General Udomdej Sitabutr added.- Why would a people-smuggling gang attack a shrine? -That’s the question police have yet to answer.The Erawan shrine is popular with tourists, particularly ethnic Chinese. Any attacker would have known that planting a bomb at such a crowded place would kill numerous civilians, including tourists. Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/Is-foreigner-arrest-a-breakthrough-moment-for-Thai-30267783.html -- The Nation 2015-08-31 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seastallion Posted August 30, 2015 Share Posted August 30, 2015 "Royal Thai Police commissioner Pol Gen Somyot Poompunmuong said that the motive of the deadly bomb attack at Ratchaprasong as a personal revenge, ruling out a possibility of international terrorism. He said from the questioning of the foreign bomb suspect, the motive of the bombing was to take revenge for his friends and relatives who were deported by Thai authorities recently." The above from a previous report. Then we get the truth...... "- Is the man talking? - No. Police say they began their interrogation at 7am Sunday but so far he is being uncooperative." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Somtamnication Posted August 30, 2015 Share Posted August 30, 2015 It's a breakthrough in the 3 stooges theory of bad farang. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted August 30, 2015 Share Posted August 30, 2015 This reported motive doesn't make sense. It was a major terrorism attack. If the police are raiding your criminal operation, what sort of group blows up a crowded tourism area having nothing to do with the police? There is definitely more to this terrorism event than simple grudge revenge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h90 Posted August 30, 2015 Share Posted August 30, 2015 "Royal Thai Police commissioner Pol Gen Somyot Poompunmuong said that the motive of the deadly bomb attack at Ratchaprasong as a personal revenge, ruling out a possibility of international terrorism. He said from the questioning of the foreign bomb suspect, the motive of the bombing was to take revenge for his friends and relatives who were deported by Thai authorities recently." The above from a previous report. Then we get the truth...... "- Is the man talking? - No. Police say they began their interrogation at 7am Sunday but so far he is being uncooperative." OK some nonsense from the police, but they may have communication recorded. And the found him, that alone is a good job...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesbrock Posted August 30, 2015 Share Posted August 30, 2015 (edited) - Why would a people-smuggling gang attack a shrine? - Why would a people-smuggling gang that undoubtedly traffics Uighurs from China to terror groups in Indonesia and the Middle East attack a country that recently interrupted their operations by sending 109 men back to the authorities in China? Hmmm... Not sure on that one. We know that Thailand is the major conduit for Uighur refugees from China. We know that there has been numerous instances where these Uighurs have joined, or attempted to join terror groups. <Link> We know that Thailand that recently sent 109 Uighur men back to China, and that this act drew international condemnation - not only from the UNHCR, which considered it "a flagrant violation of international law” - but also Turkey's Foreign Ministry, which said the deportation violated international humanitarian laws and came despite "numerous initiatives" by Turkey to prevent their repatriation. We know that these deportations sparked widespread protests in Turkey on July 9, when both the Thai Embassy in Ankara and the consulate in Istanbul had to be temporarily shut after the consulate was ransacked by mostly Uighur protesters. Windows at the consulate were smashed, furnishings damaged and the sign outside pulled down and Thai flags burnt, while protests outside the Chinese embassy have seen Chinese flags burnt and police called in to fire pepper spray at demonstrators. We know that, since then, Chinese citizens in Turkey are being harassed and attacked. We know that both Thailand and China have issued a travel warning to its citizens travelling to Turkey. It was reported (once, on 19 August, but never spoken of again) that RTP had deployed more officers to the Chinese embassy in Bangkok after it made a request two weeks earlier. The same report also revealed that “Intelligence from the Special Branch also suggested there could be an attack on Chinese tourists after August 11.” Now we have in custody a man who is most likely a Turkish Uighur, who was found with bomb making equipment and dozens of fake Turkish passports - and five rented apartments, four of them empty. If we are to believe the RTP, it’s almost certain that he was part of the cell that orchestrated the bombing, and highly possible that he could be part of the cell trafficking, as suggested, Uighurs from China to places unknown - but they have no idea why the cell would plant a bomb in central Bangkok... Edited August 30, 2015 by jamesbrock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaywalker Posted August 30, 2015 Share Posted August 30, 2015 If his motive was to "get back at authorities" for a series of raids against people smuggling and passport forgery, why did he blow up a temple instead of a police station? Didn't they arrest a couple meth-heads for smoking dope right behind the Pattaya police station recently? Sounds like a soft target, or maybe that police "resort" in N. Pattaya where all the needles washed up a few weeks ago? Not picking on Pattaya, just pointing out that there are a few soft targets where cops hang out & I'm sure BKK is full of them, and if his motive was to "get back at authorities" why the temple??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
15Peter20 Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 I never realised that the skills required to forge passports could so easily be transferred to making bombs. Remarkable! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Haggis Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 "Royal Thai Police commissioner Pol Gen Somyot Poompunmuong said that the motive of the deadly bomb attack at Ratchaprasong as a personal revenge, ruling out a possibility of international terrorism. He said from the questioning of the foreign bomb suspect, the motive of the bombing was to take revenge for his friends and relatives who were deported by Thai authorities recently." The above from a previous report. Then we get the truth...... "- Is the man talking? - No. Police say they began their interrogation at 7am Sunday but so far he is being uncooperative." Somyot is merely making assumptions, I guess he was never really a proper detective in his purchased rise up through the ranks? Somyot and the authorities will say anything to avoid any sort of impact on tourism, which by all accounts is their only saving grace in a very poor economy, if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck... as in this guy is a terrorist plain and simple, or he's connected to a terrorist cell.. I can just picture this guy now being "interrogated" and suddenly asking to see Somyot and saying to him "You know what Nemesis means" ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweatalot Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 Why is it that I guess many people wonder if he is a scapegoat? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pmugghc Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 I never realised that the skills required to forge passports could so easily be transferred to making bombs. Remarkable! Where has it been said he/they made the passports? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaywalker Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 (edited) I never realised that the skills required to forge passports could so easily be transferred to making bombs. Remarkable! Where has it been said he/they made the passports? "BANGKOK (AP) — Thai authorities arrested a foreign man they said had been holed up in a suburban apartment with bomb-making equipment and stacks of passports..." Source - http://news.yahoo.com/police-arrest-foreigner-bangkok-shrine-bombing-case-091702959.html You are correct though. They just said he was found with them, not that he made them. It does infer that he must know some fake passport makers though. Edited August 31, 2015 by jaywalker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaywalker Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 I never realised that the skills required to forge passports could so easily be transferred to making bombs. Remarkable! My brothers and I used to make all kinds of bombs decades ago. We just did it because we were bored hicks & it was so cool! My cousin reloaded his own shotgun shells, so we had an ample supply of gunpowder. We were all (my Dad included) in the Army reserves at one point or another, and sneaking artillery and grenade simulators home with us. I won't go into details of how it's done, but it isn't very difficult at all, and NO I was not a Green Beret/Seal/Force-Recon. I was a lowly grunt in an infantry unit is all. It doesn't take a lot of skill to make a crude pipe bomb w/ a timer. In the US I could go to a gun shop, a department store, and a hobby shop to get everything. I know they have gunpowder in abundance in Thailand, if no gun shops. What do they call those rockets they like to set off in Issan? They are fueled by gunpowder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAG Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 (edited) Bang Fei ? They make the stuff themselves from charcoal. It's a pretty "low" explosive. Edited August 31, 2015 by JAG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaphod reborn Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 No, the breakthrough moment will be when RTP admits that Thailand has been used as a terrorist hub by ISIL and that this suspect is just a militant who was on his way to Syria via Turkey. The admission will be followed by the realization that either RTP ignored warnings that fake Turkish passports had been sent to Thailand for this human trafficking operation, or that protection money had been paid by ISIL to the good ol' boys in the upper echelons who needed to support their mia nois and gambling habits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emster23 Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 Even a blind squirrel finds a few nuts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acharn Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 (edited) This reported motive doesn't make sense. It was a major terrorism attack. If the police are raiding your criminal operation, what sort of group blows up a crowded tourism area having nothing to do with the police? There is definitely more to this terrorism event than simple grudge revenge. I admit I'm pushing this a little, but right across the street from the Erawan Shrine is the Police Hospital, and the next building up Rama I (Sukhumvit, it changes names) Road is Royal Thai Police Headquarters. I would think the Shrine is a *very* soft target, in the sense no one would ever have thought it might be a target. I agree, though, that trying to portray this as "personal revenge" is absurd. Still, he's the Thai police chief. What do you expect? Edited August 31, 2015 by Acharn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whyamiandwhatamidoinghere Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 want to know his mother tongue? Kick him in the balls. If you don't hear "<deleted>" he is not western born. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JingerBen Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 "Royal Thai Police commissioner Pol Gen Somyot Poompunmuong said that the motive of the deadly bomb attack at Ratchaprasong as a personal revenge, ruling out a possibility of international terrorism. He said from the questioning of the foreign bomb suspect, the motive of the bombing was to take revenge for his friends and relatives who were deported by Thai authorities recently." The above from a previous report. Then we get the truth...... "- Is the man talking? - No. Police say they began their interrogation at 7am Sunday but so far he is being uncooperative." OK some nonsense from the police, but they may have communication recorded. And the found him, that alone is a good job...... Agreed. Obviously it's a breakthrough for the RTP. Whether it came from a tip off or methodical police work, they got someone of interest. It's a start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sammygood Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 whatever they come up with this is more damanging for thailand tourism than anything else Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glaswegian Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 "He doesn’t provide much," Prawut said "[He said] where he came from but we don’t believe him. We need other evidence like DNA from his clothes and data from his mobile phone." so where the hell is he from ?, i dinna understand why the police would want to hide his nationality from the public! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulic Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 I have always felt the Thai police can be remarkably effective when properly motivated. The problem is what motivates them (the pursuit of cash). They will track down the other phone numbers and the others involved will be tracked down if still in Thailand. The suspect will become cooperative as enhanced interrogation is applied. Note according to the USA this is not torture, so I am sure he will start talking soon. Now is this a breakthrough for the police? I say no. Unless the General can put a boot up every policeman's butt on every case law enforcement will continue to focus on its main objective of wealth enhancement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAG Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 "Enhanced interrogation" is a euphemism for torture, and a particularly sordid attempt to excuse it. The USA was wrong, and the damage they did to their reputation and ability to be a force for good in the world by claiming so will take years if not generations to repair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silent Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 This reported motive doesn't make sense. It was a major terrorism attack. If the police are raiding your criminal operation, what sort of group blows up a crowded tourism area having nothing to do with the police? There is definitely more to this terrorism event than simple grudge revenge. What makes a little sense is all of a sudden gangs of police, army and immigration are pressured, overworking and unearthing more than one network while factions of Government like TOT are trying to do damage control, spin doctor and confuse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwikeith Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 "Royal Thai Police commissioner Pol Gen Somyot Poompunmuong said that the motive of the deadly bomb attack at Ratchaprasong as a personal revenge, ruling out a possibility of international terrorism. He said from the questioning of the foreign bomb suspect, the motive of the bombing was to take revenge for his friends and relatives who were deported by Thai authorities recently." The above from a previous report. Then we get the truth...... "- Is the man talking? - No. Police say they began their interrogation at 7am Sunday but so far he is being uncooperative." OK some nonsense from the police, but they may have communication recorded. And the found him, that alone is a good job...... One motorbike taxi said that the actual bomber spoke Thai with a foriegn accent , this guy speaks some english, usually you can tell from his accent when he speaks his english where he comes from, a language expert could pick it quickly, and they might have some written material from the apartment as well, the BIB might know more than you think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baerboxer Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 "Royal Thai Police commissioner Pol Gen Somyot Poompunmuong said that the motive of the deadly bomb attack at Ratchaprasong as a personal revenge, ruling out a possibility of international terrorism. He said from the questioning of the foreign bomb suspect, the motive of the bombing was to take revenge for his friends and relatives who were deported by Thai authorities recently." The above from a previous report. Then we get the truth...... "- Is the man talking? - No. Police say they began their interrogation at 7am Sunday but so far he is being uncooperative." Somyot has blamed all sorts - Thais, Foreigners, political agitators, terrorists, personal revenge etc etc. Just as he does in any other major case when he makes comments to the media, he contradicts himself and throws off counter claims without seemingly any shred of real evidence or reality. He still presumably deliberating over stripping Thaksin's rank, convinced the Koh Tao investigation was exemplary and most importantly pushing that all important mega pistol deal through. One more, albeit long, month to go of this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elgordo38 Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 Ah the power of a nice big rewards sharpened up so many eyes. The money got him not police work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fred Kubasa Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 NO, not a breakthru because, if it were, you would see several pictures of the "alleged" accompanied by 30 police officers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsmylife Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 3 million baht sure a breakthrough . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ourmanflint Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 Would it be too difficult for the police to do a quick facial recognition search on all immigration photos from past two years? Surely even the RTP have basic software like that? Finding out when and how the guy got into the country should be the priority, establishing his identity is the first step. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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