THAILAND-BLAST/ROAD RE OPEN-POLICE Thai authorities focus on suspect seen in CCTV footage at blast site

Record ID: 143517

  • Title: THAILAND-BLAST/ROAD RE OPEN-POLICE Thai authorities focus on suspect seen in CCTV footage at blast site
  • Date: 18th August 2015
  • Summary: BANGKOK,THAILAND (AUGUST 18, 2015) (REUTERS) TRAFFIC AT RATCHAPRASONG INTERSECTION POLICEMEN DIRECTING TRAFFIC ON STREET VARIOUS OF CARS DRIVING PAST GARBAGE TRUCK PARKED NEXT TO ERAWAN SHRINE WORKERS CLEANING UP ROAD VARIOUS OF SECURITY PERSONNEL LOADING FENCES ONTO TRUCK TRAFFIC POLICE CHIEF SOMYOT POOMPANMUANG WALKING IN FOR NEWS CONFERENCE SOMYOT TAKING TO MEDIA (SOUND
  • Embargoed: 2nd September 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Thailand
  • Country: Thailand
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVAE5HZ3M517C2Z92CEFK1DLBX7I
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Thai authorities said on Tuesday (August 18) they were looking for a suspect seen on closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage near a popular shrine where a bomb blast killed 22 people, including nine foreigners from several Asian countries.
    National police chief Somyot Pumpanmuang said the suspect, who was wearing a yellow shirt and was seen in a first CCTV image with a backpack and then in a later one without the bag, could be Thai or a foreigner.
    "From the closed circuit TV footage, we cannot confirm who that is because in the video the suspect might have disguised himself to mislead the officials. We cannot confirm the identity of the man in the video," Somyot told a news conference.
    Police earlier said they had not ruled out any group, including elements opposed to the military government, for the bombing at the Erawan shrine on Monday evening, although officials said the attack did not match the tactics of Muslim insurgents in the south.
    Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha also referred to the man as a suspect without giving details. He said there were "still anti-government groups out there", although he did not elaborate.
    Police were deployed to the blood-splattered site on Tuesday, some wearing white gloves and carrying plastic bags, searching for clues to an attack that could dent tourism and investor confidence.
    Somyot described the attack as a "perfect bombing" that hardly left any trace behind.
    "This time, the attack was a 'perfect bombing'. There was no evidence left that could identify how the bomb was assembled, how it worked, even the residue from the bomb that could have been used to identify the type of the bomb wasn't available," Somyot told reporters.
    The government said the attack during the Monday (August 17) evening rush hour, in the capital's bustling commercial hub, was aimed at destroying the economy. No one has claimed responsibility.
    Raising tension in the city on Tuesday, a small explosive was thrown from a bridge over a river but no one was injured, a police officer at the scene said.
    The Erawan shrine, on a busy corner near top hotels, shopping centres, offices and a hospital, is a major attraction, especially for visitors from East Asia, including China. Many Thais also worship there.
    Four Chinese, including two people from Hong Kong, were among the dead, China's official Xinhua news agency said. Two Malaysians, a Singaporean, an Indonesian and a Filipino were also killed, officials said. Scores of people were wounded, including many from China and Taiwan.
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