THAILAND-BLAST/PRIME MINISTER UPDATE Thai prime minister haven't ruled out any possibility for Bangkok blast
Record ID:
143317
THAILAND-BLAST/PRIME MINISTER UPDATE Thai prime minister haven't ruled out any possibility for Bangkok blast
- Title: THAILAND-BLAST/PRIME MINISTER UPDATE Thai prime minister haven't ruled out any possibility for Bangkok blast
- Date: 20th August 2015
- Summary: BANGKOK, THAILAND (AUGUST 20, 2015) (REUTERS) PRIME MINISTER PRAYUTH CHAN-OCHA WALKING PRAYUTH TALKING IN NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Thai) PRIME MINISTER PRAYUTH CHAN-OCHA SAYING: "It could be many issues. Politics and extremist group are all possibly responsible. But there's two (extremists and Uighurs movements) that never happened in Thailand before, I don't want to say anything right now. It is dangerous for ASEAN as well because it never happened, so we have to be careful. Not that it will never happened, we have to be careful. It could happen anytime." MEDIA IN NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Thai) PRIME MINISTER PRAYUTH CHAN-OCHA SAYING: "Just looking like a foreigner (Middle-eastern) doesn't mean that (suspect) could be a Uighur. It might be a foreigner who worked with a Thai accomplice. I haven't rule out anything, not yet. If it was (linked to) Uighur issue, I would like to question whether other governments did anything? Many countries around the world did the same, they don't accept migrants." PRAYUTH TALKING TO MEDIA PEOPLE STANDING VARIOUS OF PRAYUTH TALKING EXTERIOR OF GOVERNMENT HOUSE
- Embargoed: 4th September 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Thailand
- Country: Thailand
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVABYM3Y74477MQR1AQXJB6I8QP6
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said he did not rule out any possibility to which group could be held responsible for the Bangkok attack and urges for caution when labelling it a terrorism act on Thursday (August 20).
Prayuth said earlier the attack was Thailand's problem and should be resolved internally but on Thursday said it signalled a threat to the whole region.
"It could be many issues. Politics and extremist group are all possibly responsible. But there's two (extremists and Uighurs movements) that never happened in Thailand before, I don't want to say anything right now. It is dangerous for ASEAN as well because it never happened, so we have to be careful. Not that it will never happened, we have to be careful. It could happen anytime," he said.
Prayuth told reporters the man seen in the CCTV footage was in disguise, a theory that police have yet to agree on.
"Just looking like a foreigner (Middle-eastern) doesn't mean that (suspect) could be a Uighur. It might be a foreigner who worked with a Thai accomplice. I haven't rule out anything, not yet. If it was (linked to) Uighur issue, I would like to question whether other governments did anything? Many countries around the world did the same, they don't accept migrants," he told reporters.
Police said at least 10 people were suspected of involvement in the attack and they appealed to Interpol for help in finding the man caught in the video footage.
National police chief Somyot Pumpanmuang said the investigation showed the attack was planned at least a month in advance and a "big network" was involved.
The blast comes at a sensitive time for Thailand, which has been riven for a decade by a sometimes-violent struggle for power between political factions in Bangkok.
A parliament hand-picked by a junta that seized power in a 2014 coup is due to vote on a draft constitution next month.
Critics say the draft is undemocratic and intended to help the army secure power and curb the influence of elected politicians. The government has promised to restore democracy late next year.
There has been no claim of responsibility for the Monday evening attack on a famous shrine crowded with tourists, which the government has said was designed to wreck the economy. Authorities have not blamed any group for carrying out Thailand's worst bombing. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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