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Bangkok bomb: Thailand says identity of attackers 'much clearer' Bangkok bomb: Thailand says identity of attackers 'much clearer'
(34 minutes later)
Thailand is close to determining who detonated a bomb at a popular shrine in Bangkok that killed 22 people and injured 123, the country’s defence minister has said.Thailand is close to determining who detonated a bomb at a popular shrine in Bangkok that killed 22 people and injured 123, the country’s defence minister has said.
Related: China fears its tourists were target for Bangkok bombersRelated: China fears its tourists were target for Bangkok bombers
“It is much clearer who the bombers are, but I can’t reveal right now,” Prawit Wongsuwan said on Tuesday. “We have suspects. There are not many people.”“It is much clearer who the bombers are, but I can’t reveal right now,” Prawit Wongsuwan said on Tuesday. “We have suspects. There are not many people.”
Thai authorities later said they were hunting a “suspect” who had been caught on security cameras near the scene of the blast. Thai authorities said they were hunting a “suspect” who had been caught on security cameras near the scene of the blast. However, Thailand’s ministry of foreign affairs said: “For the time being, it is too early to determine the possible motives or who the perpetrators may be.”
Prime minister Prayut Chan-ocha said the suspect was believed to belong to an “anti-government group based in Thailand’s northeast”. The region is a major powerbase for the anti-coup “red shirt” movement. Prime minister Prayuth Chan-ocha was quoted by news agencies as saying the suspect was believed to be from an “anti-government group based in Thailand’s northeast”. The area is a stronghold of support for the so-called redshirt movement, which backs former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted by the military in 2006. But Thai media later said the quote was not referring to the suspect.
However, in a statement, Thailand’s ministry of foreign affairs said: “For the time being, it is too early to determine the possible motives or who the perpetrators may be.” No group has claimed responsibility for the bombing of the Hindu Erawan shrine, a major attraction for visitors from Asia and for Thai people. Dedicated to the Hindu god Brahma, it is also popular among Thailand’s Buddhist and Chinese tourists.
The government has blamed the attack, which ripped through a bustling part of the city at 7pm on Monday night, on forces seeking to destroy its tourist economy. Forensic police teams in white gloves spent Tuesday morning combing the intersection where the bomb detonated. Glass and and debris were collected while the army looked on.
The four major roads leading to the bomb site, normally packed with traffic, were empty, blocked off by the police. At midday, street cleaners entered the site and started to hose down the area, suggesting the scene investigation had finished.
Thai police have finished gathering evidence at Bangkok blast scene. Cleaners move into shrine. pic.twitter.com/uJ4rBtLli7
Prayuth told media the attack “is the worst incident that has ever happened in Thailand”.
He added: “There have been minor bombs or just noise, but this time they aimed for innocent lives. They want to destroy our economy, our tourism.”
Much of the violence in the southeast Asian nation stems from a low-level insurgency waged by Muslim separatists in the south, but the country’s army chief said on Tuesday that the attack does not bear the hallmarks of the rebels.Much of the violence in the southeast Asian nation stems from a low-level insurgency waged by Muslim separatists in the south, but the country’s army chief said on Tuesday that the attack does not bear the hallmarks of the rebels.
“This does not match with incidents in southern Thailand. The type of bomb used is also not in keeping with the south,” Royal Thai Army chief and deputy defence minister General Udomdej Sitabutr said in a televised interview.“This does not match with incidents in southern Thailand. The type of bomb used is also not in keeping with the south,” Royal Thai Army chief and deputy defence minister General Udomdej Sitabutr said in a televised interview.
No group has claimed responsibility for the bombing of the Hindu Erawan shrine, a major attraction for visitors from Asia and for Thai people. Dedicated to the Hindu god Brahma, it is also popular among Thailand’s Buddhist and Chinese tourists.
Eight foreigners were killed in the explosion, including three Chinese, two Hong Kong residents, two people from Malaysia and one person from the Philippines. Scores of people were wounded, including many from China and Taiwan.Eight foreigners were killed in the explosion, including three Chinese, two Hong Kong residents, two people from Malaysia and one person from the Philippines. Scores of people were wounded, including many from China and Taiwan.
Forensic police teams in white gloves and sniffer dogs scoured the major intersection in the heart of the capital early on Tuesday morning, where glass and blood still lay on the road. More than 20 of the 123 injured people were Chinese, according to a statement posted on the website of China’s embassy in Bangkok. They sustained both “moderate and severe” injuries, Xinhua, China’s official news agency said.
“It is beyond the imagination of Chinese people that a blast could happen at the famous Erawan shrine,” the Global Times, a Communist party-controlled tabloid, said in an editorial. “It has almost the same impact on Chinese tourists as if it happened in China.”
Beijing said it had “demanded” embassy officials in Bangkok find out what had happened and to “go all-out to help treat the injured people”.
At the nearby police hospital, Chinese volunteer translators waited in the lobby for the families and friends of several Chinese tourists who has been killed and wounded in the blast, which ripped through the area at 7pm on Monday.
Names of wounded on the wall outside hospital at Bangkok bomb site pic.twitter.com/DwQH5YHhuZ
More than 6,500 people have been killed in the long-running insurgency in the south of the country since 2004, but militants have not launched an attack of this scale on the capital.More than 6,500 people have been killed in the long-running insurgency in the south of the country since 2004, but militants have not launched an attack of this scale on the capital.
Bangkok has witnessed violent protests from opposing political groups since 2006 but foreigners are rarely caught in the bloodshed. An indiscriminate bomb attack killing large numbers of people is unheard of in recent memory.Bangkok has witnessed violent protests from opposing political groups since 2006 but foreigners are rarely caught in the bloodshed. An indiscriminate bomb attack killing large numbers of people is unheard of in recent memory.
Thai national police spokesman Prawut Thavornsiri said the death toll stood at 22 from the bombing, with 123 people wounded.Thai national police spokesman Prawut Thavornsiri said the death toll stood at 22 from the bombing, with 123 people wounded.
National police chief Somyot Poompanmuang told reporters the attack was unprecedented in Thailand. He said the blast was caused by a pipe bomb.National police chief Somyot Poompanmuang told reporters the attack was unprecedented in Thailand. He said the blast was caused by a pipe bomb.
“The perpetrators intended to destroy the economy and tourism, because the incident occurred in the heart of the tourism district,” defence minister Prawit told Reuters late on Monday.“The perpetrators intended to destroy the economy and tourism, because the incident occurred in the heart of the tourism district,” defence minister Prawit told Reuters late on Monday.
Tourism is one of the few bright spots in an economy that continues to underperform more than a year after the military seized power in May 2014.Tourism is one of the few bright spots in an economy that continues to underperform more than a year after the military seized power in May 2014.
It accounts for about 10% of the economy, and the government had expected a record number of visitors this year following a sharp fall in 2014 during months of street protests and the coup.It accounts for about 10% of the economy, and the government had expected a record number of visitors this year following a sharp fall in 2014 during months of street protests and the coup.
Related: Bangkok explosion: witness reportsRelated: Bangkok explosion: witness reports
At the scene on Monday evening lay burnt out motorcycles, with rubble from the shrine’s wall and pools of blood on the street. “There were bodies everywhere,” said Marko Cunningham, a New Zealand paramedic working with a Bangkok ambulance service, who said the blast had left a two-metre-wide crater.At the scene on Monday evening lay burnt out motorcycles, with rubble from the shrine’s wall and pools of blood on the street. “There were bodies everywhere,” said Marko Cunningham, a New Zealand paramedic working with a Bangkok ambulance service, who said the blast had left a two-metre-wide crater.
“Some were shredded. There were legs where heads were supposed to be. It was horrific,” Cunningham told Reuters, adding that people several hundred metres away had been wounded.“Some were shredded. There were legs where heads were supposed to be. It was horrific,” Cunningham told Reuters, adding that people several hundred metres away had been wounded.
The Nation television channel reported that the government would set up a “war room” to coordinate a response. Two pipe bombs exploded in the same district in February but did not cause significant damage.The Nation television channel reported that the government would set up a “war room” to coordinate a response. Two pipe bombs exploded in the same district in February but did not cause significant damage.