Top police at odds on hospital bomb probe

[webfact]

Top police at odds on hospital bomb probe
By THE NATION

 

File photo

 

BANGKOK: -- THE COUNTRY’S two most senior police appeared to be split yesterday on the progress of inquiries into the bomb at the military-run Phramongkutklao Hospital last week.

 

While national police chief Chakthip Chaijinda said investigators had identified the suspect who planted a bomb at the hospital, Srivara Ransibrahmanakul his deputy and head of the investigation, said he was far from a conclusion and only “20-per-cent satisfied”. Srivara said even a sketch of a suspect that was widely reported by the media, indicated nothing. 

 

“I give a zero score for that sketch. After checking all the evidence we have, I would say that only 20 per cent is satisfactory,” Srivara said after a meeting with his team yesterday.

 

However, Chakthip said earlier the investigation had been able to identify a suspect, although he refused to divulge any other details. He said that investigators were checking if the suspect was the same individual who planted two other bombs near the National Theatre on May 15 and in front of an old government lottery building last month.

 

The hospital bombing, which injured 25 people, took place on the third anniversary of the coup. The explosion appeared to send a political message to the junta as it exploded in the Wongsuwan Room, named after Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan, who oversees security matters for the military government. 

 

Contrary to Chakthip, Srivara said his team had no clue on the identity of the suspect. “Based on our information, I think it is not enough to seek any arrest warrants from the court,” he said. “Sometimes only crazy people come out to point a finger. We cannot rely on such information.” 

 

More than 200 possible suspects had been suggested by many agencies, he said, noting that included more than 100 names from the Metropolitan Police and 80 to 90 from Special Branch. Different agencies had different information and none of it matched what others had, he said. 

 

“The only thing I can say is that the bombers wanted to create chaos but I know neither their motivation nor political connection,” he said. “We don’t have enough information to suspect, let alone arrest, anybody.”

 

Srivara also said details disclosed recently from letters warning of a bomb and interrogation of hospital officials were useless, as they could not indicate anything about the bomb.

 

Asked if military personnel had interrogated some 40 to 50 people, Srivara said the police had not received such information from the military. He instructed his team to collect more evidence and information to make progress. 

 

Commenting on speculation that fugitive red-shirt Wuthipong Kachathamkhun, alias Ko Tee, might have been behind the hospital blast, Chakthip said that investigators could not find clear evidence to implicate Wuthipong. 

 

Chakthip said the deployment of over 200 police – with expertise and experience in bombing cases to handle inquiries into the three small blasts in Bangkok over recent weeks – was not an overreaction akin to “riding an elephant to capture a cricket”.

Rather, it stemmed from the fact those behind the blasts operated in gangs.

 

Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan, who appeared in public yesterday for the first time since the bomb, said authorities had questioned between 40 and 50 people, including staff, in the hunt for those involved.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30316664

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-05-30

[Thechook]

I thought the top cop said he knows who did it but isn't telling

[colinneil]

Just another case of smoke and mirrors.

I know who did it, but i am not saying.

There are 200 suspects, but no one is saying anything that makes any sense.

Look closer to home,, if you are serious about finding out who did it.

[YetAnother]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

included more than 100 names from the Metropolitan Police and 80 to 90 from Special Branch. Different agencies had different information and none of it matched what others had, he said. 

NONE of it matched ? not a single one ?!

[Classic Ray]

Note to RTP

 

1. Don't expose divisions of opinion between senior officers, it demotivates the investigators and shows lack of communication and a divided team.

 

2. Don't hold press conferences just to inflate your egos when really you have nothing to say. It just provokes other questions you can't answer, and shows the suspects the progress, or lack of it, of the investigation.

 

3. Use press conferences to enlist the help of, and reassure the press and public and sustain their interest by providing peripheral details, e.g. Human factors like condition of the injured, while detailing what you want help with, like previous movements of suspects, any suspicious activity of neighbours etc. Use the press, don't let them use you.

 

Media courses are available worldwide, suggest a few RTP officers attend. 

Edited May 30, 2017 by Classic Ray

[mikebell]

9 minutes ago, Classic Ray said:

Media courses are available worldwide, suggest a few RTP officers attend. 

They should first attend crime fighting courses.

[rkidlad]

15 minutes ago, Classic Ray said:

Note to RTP

 

1. Don't expose divisions of opinion between senior officers, it demotivates the investigators and shows lack of communication and a divided team.

 

2. Don't hold press conferences just to inflate your egos when really you have nothing to say. It just provokes other questions you can't answer, and shows the suspects the progress, or lack of it, of the investigation.

 

3. Use press conferences to enlist the help of, and reassure the press and public and sustain their interest by providing peripheral details, e.g. Human factors like condition of the injured, while detailing what you want help with, like previous movements of suspects, any suspicious activity of neighbours etc. Use the press, don't let them use you.

 

Media courses are available worldwide, suggest a few RTP officers attend. 

The police don't care about catching and punishing criminals. They're in it for the glory and the ill gotten gains. 

 

Police will pursue suspects if there is money to be made, pressure from the public, or a big case where they can have photo shoots and point their fingers. Absolute zero integrity in the job. 

 

There needs to be one top cop who has the final say. But of course, like children, they all wanna be in the spotlight so they all have something to say. Meaningless words to boost their fragile egos. 

[klauskunkel]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

police at odds

... and when they are not at odds, they are stumped - and when they are not stumped, they are in cahoots - and when they are not  in cahoots, they are misunderstood

or any combination thereof

 

[Emster23]

"Pick a number between 1 and 100".... easy to see why might be "at odds"

[Becker]

1 hour ago, YetAnother said:

NONE of it matched ? not a single one ?!

My reaction as well. None????

The cluelessness really is breathtaking.

[Moti24]

"I know who did it, but i am not saying."

"Look closer to home,, if you are serious about finding out who did it."

 

It's blindingly obvious who's behind it, but I'm not saying either.  Maybe the police need to think "Outside the box", or more likely inside the box, where the diagonals meet, in this case.

[JoePai]

The difference between the Brit Police in the Manchester investigation and these clowns is miles apart

[AhFarangJa]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

BANGKOK: -- THE COUNTRY’S two most senior police appeared to be split yesterday on the progress of inquiries into the bomb at the military-run Phramongkutklao Hospital last week.

 

While national police chief Chakthip Chaijinda said investigators had identified the suspect who planted a bomb at the hospital, Srivara Ransibrahmanakul his deputy and head of the investigation, said he was far from a conclusion and only “20-per-cent satisfied”. Srivara said even a sketch of a suspect that was widely reported by the media, indicated nothing. 

 

Although not a single arrest warrant has been issued and no composite sketches ever released, the police chief said investigators have somehow identified the person responsible for the May 22 blast at Phramongkutklao Hospital.

 

4 hours ago, webfact said:

“The only thing I can say is that the bombers wanted to create chaos but I know neither their motivation nor political connection,” he said. “We don’t have enough information to suspect, let alone arrest, anybody.”

Do not worry Boys, you do not need the bombers to create chaos......You are doing a perfectly fine job all on your own.....

Edited May 30, 2017 by AhFarangJa

[lvr181]

The left hand doesn't know what the right hand does? 

 

Too many "authorities" love to big note themselves with continuous nonsensical public announcements