Bangkok bomb: Has the case been solved?

[webfact]

Bangkok bomb: Has the case been solved?
By Jonathan Head
BBC South East Asia correspondent

BANGKOK: -- Twenty people died and more than 120 were injured in the horrific bombing on 17 August in central Bangkok at the Erawan shrine. But the investigation into who perpetrated the attack has seen conflicting statements and perplexing developments. Here are the twist and turns that took police from knowing very little after the deadly blast, to claiming to have identified their main suspect six weeks later.

The immediate aftermath: conflicting statements

On 18 August, a day after the bomb, another explosion in a canal sent a huge column of water over passers-by, but caused no injuries. Later police identified it as caused by a bomb similar to the one at the shrine.

On 19 August police showed CCTV video, taken from the shrine and surrounding area. In it a man in a yellow shirt, with long hair and thick-framed spectacles, leaves a black backpack beside a bench at the shrine, and walks out just before the bomb explodes.

The police can ascertain nothing about his identity from the grainy images, and have no information after he was dropped off by a motorbike taxi about a kilometre from the shrine.

On 22 August new CCTV video shows another man kicking a bag into the canal where the 18 August explosion occurred. This took place just 30 minutes after the first bomb.

Full story: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-34409348


-- BBC 2015-10-06

[ChrisY1]

Clearly JH is being diplomatic in his article....as he obviously must be, but he has certainly summarised the case very well........leaving readers to make their own judgements.

Not very difficult to see the bungling and changes in direction as a means to end this case.......all in front of a global audience!

[lovelomsak]

It has come to the point i just donot care any more what happens.I feel for the loss of life and pain and suffering ,but am sick and tired of manipulation and lies from the people involved in solving this case same as the Koh Tao case. All speculation,Confessions that are probably from scapegoats.No justice just smoke and mirrors. It appears it has turned into a political game. Not caring to catch the real people or find the real reason it was done.Just use the situation to their advantage right down to collecting bounty money.Justice is the furthest thing from being served here. There is no justice just politics.

Edited October 6, 2015 by lovelomsak

[jgriff]

It looks to familiar of how they went about solving the Koh Tao case. Many different theories then poof the suspects confessed.

Thailand always talks about " hurting the image of Thailand " then the RTP gives themselves, not one but two rewards of B3m anouncing they have solved the case. Discus ting !!!!!

[Oziex1]

Thailand, not part of the real world.

[z42]

Short answer, no. Long answer, hell no.

[boomerangutang]

Having top cops like Somyot and Jaktip leading the investigation doesn't help. They've both shown how they're willing to skew evidence in the Ko Tao murder investigation - so why trust them in another crime investigation? If Thailand doesn't have objective professionals for the job, then bring in investigative experts from other countries.

[worgeordie]

Well the police seem to think so,they say the actual bomber has

been caught,rewards have been paid,..although there are still

10-15 up to 17 suspects still out there according to the police,

so in my view the case is far from over.

regards Worgeordie

[billphillips]

Just to make sure that the pathetic attempt at policing and detection work is not put out for public display this time, a military court (closed to the press and public) will decide the fate of those accused. I expect that the only news that the public will hear from now on ... will be via press releases from the government, and we all know how reliable they can be.

[jimstar1]

What;s wrong with you people its solved Rewards have been Paid another great Job by the RTP No wonder I don't sleep well

[chainarong]

Has the case been solved , good question, those who know the RTP would have to ask that question every time there is a case to solve, has the case been solved , not really.

[tx22cb]

Thai newspaper published this cartoon 2 days before the cartoonist had his attitude adjusted.

It parodies the latest "suspect" being offered up to the public.

The authorities are trying to link the case to the Red shirts ("This goat is red") - Red shirt Uigurs?

[ChrisY1]

Thai newspaper published this cartoon 2 days before the cartoonist had his attitude adjusted.

It parodies the latest "suspect" being offered up to the public.

The authorities are trying to link the case to the Red shirts ("This goat is red") - Red shirt Uigurs?

ThaiRathCartoonScapegoat.jpg

Obviously a goat....well...a Thai goat??........cash cow comes to mind!!

[kennw]

Once again a totally simplistic presentation by Mr D. J Head. Of course the case is not yet solved, who were the principal organizers, where does the money trail lead, what was the true motivation ? Don't waste our time by just repeating what we already know Mr Head.

[toenail]

- I gave up following this mystery when the police department themselves seemed to be a mystery to solving the case. I need someone to explain to me (If I am missing the main plot here), it seems it was done by some fanatical Uighur group with the so called evidence; however, why would the police department keep saying it is not a terrorist group but revenge for stopping the human trafficking trade?

[billphillips]

The missing point here may be ... Thailand cannot have political issues the Gen will not permit them. Far better to have nasty guys protesting about the upstanding work of the police department.

[Oziex1]

Once again a totally simplistic presentation by Mr D. J Head. Of course the case is not yet solved, who were the principal organizers, where does the money trail lead, what was the true motivation ? Don't waste our time by just repeating what we already know Mr Head.

I think it was a fair and timely summary of events, a comment on the ineffectiveness of the investigation and a reminder of the only motivation of the RTP being greed and in this case they grabbed the cash without providing any conclusion to the case.

Leave the job of "Shooting the Messenger" to the Thai administration please.

[MaxLee]

It has come to the point i just donot care any more what happens.I feel for the loss of life and pain and suffering ,but am sick and tired of manipulation and lies from the people involved in solving this case same as the Koh Tao case. All speculation,Confessions that are probably from scapegoats.No justice just smoke and mirrors. It appears it has turned into a political game. Not caring to catch the real people or find the real reason it was done.Just use the situation to their advantage right down to collecting bounty money.Justice is the furthest thing from being served here. There is no justice just politics.

That's exactly the point. The police is trying to make the normal jibba jabba Thailand-Joe believe that they caught the culprit. They are manipulating the facts that they assume the public wants to hear, to a point where the public WILL really forget about it and move back to business as usual.

Are you that surprised?

[RoboGeisha]

- I gave up following this mystery when the police department themselves seemed to be a mystery to solving the case. I need someone to explain to me (If I am missing the main plot here), it seems it was done by some fanatical Uighur group with the so called evidence; however, why would the police department keep saying it is not a terrorist group but revenge for stopping the human trafficking trade?

To make it short and simple: International terrorists operating in Thailand is not good for tourism. The questionable treatment of sending back the Uighurs is not good for the image. Good for the image is the magnificent police work of busting a human trafficking ring in Thailand.

[gandalf12]

Once again a totally simplistic presentation by Mr D. J Head. Of course the case is not yet solved, who were the principal organizers, where does the money trail lead, what was the true motivation ? Don't waste our time by just repeating what we already know Mr Head.

Unfortunately the BBC prefer to give facts rather than fairy tales, hence no positive conclusion from JH

[Jimbo2014]

Of course its been solved. Reward money paid, case closed.... unless of course someone is putting up more reward money

[AGLV0121]

Red shirt fits well on a scapegoat

[kiwikeith]

It looks to familiar of how they went about solving the Koh Tao case. Many different theories then poof the suspects confessed.

Thailand always talks about " hurting the image of Thailand " then the RTP gives themselves, not one but two rewards of B3m anouncing they have solved the case. Discus ting !!!!!

The full story of this article reports that Cambodian authorities handed Mieraili back to Thai police, as do mant other foriegn and Cambodian media outlets, now I wonder if there was a secret exchange of cash here, certainly in the "highly probable ctegory", but small change against reward money, yep disgusting.

Then there is the arrested ones in Malaysia that we have never seen a photo of and Thai police don't want to know about them, would that spoil reward amounts paid out betwwen the greedy best police in the world.

[DM07]

"

Bangkok bomb: Has the case been solved?"

Yes- multiple times!

[Srikcir]

One can only hope that UN Representative Extraordinaire General Prayut has learned from the Shrine bombing that making decisions affecting foreigners may have unintended and sever reprocussions for the nation. This is a critical lesson for any nation that desires to be a member of the UN Security Council.

Will Prayut be a good student and do his homework next time?

[pookiki]

Another issue that has never been adequately addressed is the type of bomb(s) used at Ratchaprasong and at the Sathorn Pier. There were initial RTP reports that the type of bomb used could not have come from Thailand. However, other than knowing that ball bearings were allegedly used in building the bomb, the type of explosive used was never identified to my knowledge. The RTP claims that it has the two people who planted the bombs but are these the same individuals who built the devices? Then the dead end in Malaysia after three people were arrested. What happened to them? And the alleged mastermind who fled from Bangladesh. Or was he? Why are new suspects being identified.over a long period of time and different motives presented for the blasts? I find the situation muddled at best. Unfortunately, there is no real investigative journalism in Thailand. And if there was, I'm sure those vigorously pursuing investigations would find themselves in need of an 'attitude' adjustment. The nail in the coffin for me is that there was a 10 million baht incentive for the police to say the case was solved. Good police work or just normal police greed?

[joebrown]

THere will be difinitive statement from the Thai police that the bomb investigation is complete, when they realise there is no more reward money to be claimed.

[speedtripler]

THere will be difinitive statement from the Thai police that the bomb investigation is complete, when they realise there is no more reward money to be claimed.

How can there be 14-17 suspects still on the loose and then the case will be closed?

I think we need more money to catch the rest lol

Extra 3 million every Friday would be good for 1 more arrested scapegoat

[EnglishJohn]

Once again a totally simplistic presentation by Mr D. J Head. Of course the case is not yet solved, who were the principal organizers, where does the money trail lead, what was the true motivation ? Don't waste our time by just repeating what we already know Mr Head.

Unfortunately the BBC prefer to give facts rather than fairy tales, hence no positive conclusion from JH

Ha ha ha - how long is it since you watched the BBC news ?.

I watch it every evening when I am in the UK and I am increasingly aware that the country is being fed a 'version' of the truth it wants the people to believe. It is shocking to find out certain facts via the internet which they decide to omit. There is a very specific agenda they follow.

Mr Head was a guilty of that as anyone. A good example was the murders of the protesters. He NEVER mentioned that it was the government supporters killing peaceful protesters. His story would go something like "Anti-government protests turned violent resulting in xx deaths.". Clearly leading the reader to think the protesters were responsible.

He is a disgrace to the truth. Like many journalists in my experience : they all have a personal agenda and Mr Head has a history of conflict with the 'non-red shirt' part of Thai society.

[EnglishJohn]

Thai newspaper published this cartoon 2 days before the cartoonist had his attitude adjusted.

It parodies the latest "suspect" being offered up to the public.

The authorities are trying to link the case to the Red shirts ("This goat is red") - Red shirt Uigurs?

ThaiRathCartoonScapegoat.jpg

So a red-shirt drawing a cartoon automatically makes it true does it ?. Because they are always honest and trustworthy right ?.

In my experience, every act of violence I have seen in Thailand (except the South) which approaches that of terrorism has been done by red-shirts. Whether it is judges pressured by intimidation mobs and death threats, shooters hiding in the midst of their own protesters, grenades/fire bombs at the house of newspaper owners who don't print the right message or people firing M79's at women and children.

And they deny every single one. How many times does it have to happen before you might realise which section of society are the ones who might do this ?.

And how do you explain how the bomb factory was set up long before the people got deported ?.

The most logical explanation in my opinion at this point is an attempt to sabotage the tourism industry and pressure the Junta for an election whilst getting the blame laid on the Uigurs (who, being of a terrorist bent themselves, were quite willing to go along with). I don't think the rank-and-file leadership of the red-shirts/UDD are in on it though - the risk of exposure of such a heinous act should any of them speak out would be too great. It was arranged within a very trusted inner circle.