CCTV Shows Suspect In Bangkok Shrine Bombing

Thai authorities are convinced that the man caught on CCTV was behind the Bangkok shrine bombing on Monday. The security camera showed the man leaving a backpack at the Erawan shrine just before the explosion that killed twenty-two people.

The footage showed a young man wearing shorts and a yellow shirt sitting on a bench. He carefully took off a large backpack he was bringing. After leaving the backpack, he walked away before checking his phone. Police spokesperson Lt Gen Prawut Thavornsiri said the man wearing the yellow shirt is the bomber and not just a suspect.

Footage from a different angle showed the man without the backpack as he walked away from the area where the explosion occurred. The timestamp showed 6:40 PM, a few minutes before the explosion at the Hindu shrine.

Somyot Poompanmoung, national police chief, said the suspect, who wore wristbands and had black hair, may be a Thai or a foreigner. Somyot said it was necessary to check the CCTV footage before and after the blast to look for any clues in the Bangkok shrine bombing.

Another explosive device was thrown from the Taksin Bridge on Tuesday. The second blast resulted to increased concerns of more bombings in the Thai capital. People on the Sathirn pier walkway were showered with water after the device went into the Chao Phraya River. While authorities have yet to find any links to the Bangkok shrine bombing on Monday, the second blast did not hurt anyone.

For the moment, no one claimed being responsible for the Erawan shrine bombing. Many Buddhists and Hindus visit the shrine each year. The blast is the deadliest in the recent history of Thailand, killing numerous passersby and motorcyclists. The security breach in the Thai capital is a considerable challenge for the military junta that came into power last year. The government pledged to increase security and stability after months of the political turmoil.

Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said the Bangkok shrine bombing was the “worst incident” that happened in the country. He said while a number of minor bombings occurred in the past, the recent bombing of the Erawan shrine was aimed at innocent civilians. He added that the bombing was meant to destroy the economy and tourism of Thailand.

Philip Hammond, foreign secretary of the UK, said one UK national was killed in the bombing. The UK national was a Hong Kong resident. He said the officials at the Foreign Office are working with Thai authorities and have offered assistance in its investigation of the bombing.

Bangkok Shrine Bombing Suspect Seen On CCTV - image credit: theguardian.com

The travel advice of the British embassy in Bangkok was updated following the incident. The embassy advised British citizens to monitor news reports and follow the advice of local authorities due to “a high threat from terrorism.”

The Bangkok shrine bombing killed at least eleven foreigners, including Malaysian, Hong Kong, Indonesian, Chinese, and Singaporean citizens.

Chinese embassy officials were directed by Beijing to investigate the incident and provide treatment to injured people. Over twenty of the 125 people injured in the incident were Chinese. Financial compensation was offered by the Thai government to the injured and families of the people who died.

Debris was scattered along the major intersection close to the shrine after the explosion on Monday. Critically injured people were brought to hospitals in the capital. The hospitals requested for blood donations to deal with the injuries. The blood and burnt-out motorcycles were cleaned by street cleaners by Tuesday after the area was searched for evidence by the police.

While tourists continued to shop and go around the city, the Central World mall was nearly deserted. The mall is located across the site of the Bangkok shrine bombing. Marik Foudijs of the Netherlands said he was in Khaosan Road when the bomb exploded. Even as military vehicles started to move in, the bars remained opened until the early hours of Tuesday morning. He said the incident will not affect the backpackers, but families with children may not come.

It will be necessary for Thai authorities to solve the case as soon as possible to demonstrate its ability in enforcing stability. Authorities are close to finding out the persons responsible for the Bangkok shrine bombing, the defense minister said.

Prawit Wongsuwan said while they are nearly certain about the people behind the blast, he could not give any other details. He added that they already have suspects. Muslim separatists have been fighting a low-level insurgency in the south, but the Thai army chief said there were no indications that the rebels were behind the attack.

Deputy defense minister and Thai army chief Gen Udomdej Sitabutr said the bomb used in the Erawan shrine bombing is not similar to any devices used in the south. Over 6,500 people have been killed in the insurgency that started in 2004. However, the rebels have never launched such an attack on the capital.

While violent protests have rocked the capital since 2006, foreigners are hardly ever caught in the violence. Following the Bangkok shrine bombing, the Thai baht slumped to a six-year low on Tuesday while stocks slid in Bangkok.

Posted by James Fried on Wednesday August 19 2015, 11:54 AM EDT. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under World. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0