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| Bangkok bomber is man seen dropping backpack, Thai police say | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Thai police say they are certain that a man seen on CCTV dropping a backpack at a Hindu shrine shortly before a bomb ripped through central Bangkok and killed 22 people was responsible for the blast. | Thai police say they are certain that a man seen on CCTV dropping a backpack at a Hindu shrine shortly before a bomb ripped through central Bangkok and killed 22 people was responsible for the blast. |
| The security camera footage, which was broadcast on Thai media, shows a young man in a yellow T-shirt and shorts sitting on a bench and taking off a large, black backpack. He then stands up and walks away before checking his phone. | The security camera footage, which was broadcast on Thai media, shows a young man in a yellow T-shirt and shorts sitting on a bench and taking off a large, black backpack. He then stands up and walks away before checking his phone. |
| “The yellow-shirt guy is not just the suspect. He is the bomber,” Lt Gen Prawut Thavornsiri, a police spokesman, told the Associated Press. | |
| Footage from another angle shows the man without the black bag walking away from the area where the bomb exploded. It is timestamped 6.40pm, minutes before the blast at the Erawan shrine. | Footage from another angle shows the man without the black bag walking away from the area where the bomb exploded. It is timestamped 6.40pm, minutes before the blast at the Erawan shrine. |
| Related: Bangkok bomb: British woman among the dead | |
| The national police chief, Somyot Poompanmoung, said the suspect, who was thin with dark black hair and wearing wristbands on both arms, could be Thai or a foreigner. “We need to look at the before-and-after CCTV footage to see if there is a link,” Somyot told reporters on Tuesday. | |
| In the early evening on Tuesday, a small explosive device appeared to have been thrown towards a pier from the Taksin bridge in the Thai capital, heightening concerns about continuing strikes on the capital. | |
| Security camera footage showed people on a walkway at the Sathorn pier being showered with water after the object fell into the Chao Phraya river. No link has been made to Monday’s attack and no one was hurt. | |
| No group has claimed responsibility for the bombing of the Erawan shrine, a major attraction for both Hindus and Buddhists from Thailand and around Asia, especially China. The explosion, the most deadly in Thailand’s recent history, tore through the shrine, killing men on motorbikes in the street and passersby. | No group has claimed responsibility for the bombing of the Erawan shrine, a major attraction for both Hindus and Buddhists from Thailand and around Asia, especially China. The explosion, the most deadly in Thailand’s recent history, tore through the shrine, killing men on motorbikes in the street and passersby. |
| A massive security breach, metres from luxury malls and five-star hotels in the heart of the capital, poses a major challenge to the military junta that seized power in May last year. The government has promised to bring security and stability after months of violent political turmoil. | A massive security breach, metres from luxury malls and five-star hotels in the heart of the capital, poses a major challenge to the military junta that seized power in May last year. The government has promised to bring security and stability after months of violent political turmoil. |
| The prime minister, Prayuth Chan-ocha, told media the attack was “the worst incident that has ever happened in Thailand”. | The prime minister, Prayuth Chan-ocha, told media the attack was “the worst incident that has ever happened in Thailand”. |
| “There have been minor bombs or just noise, but this time they aimed for innocent lives,” he said. “They want to destroy our economy, our tourism.” | “There have been minor bombs or just noise, but this time they aimed for innocent lives,” he said. “They want to destroy our economy, our tourism.” |
| The British foreign secretary, Philip Hammond, said on Tuesday that a UK national, a resident of Hong Kong, lost her life in the attack. | The British foreign secretary, Philip Hammond, said on Tuesday that a UK national, a resident of Hong Kong, lost her life in the attack. |
| “My thoughts are with the victims, their families and loved ones, and with the Thai people. Foreign Office officials are in close contact with the Thai authorities and have offered UK assistance in the investigation of this abhorrent act,” he said. | “My thoughts are with the victims, their families and loved ones, and with the Thai people. Foreign Office officials are in close contact with the Thai authorities and have offered UK assistance in the investigation of this abhorrent act,” he said. |
| The British embassy in Bangkok updated its travel advice. “You should monitor news reports, follow the advice of the local authorities and take extra care,” the embassy said. “There is a high threat from terrorism.” | The British embassy in Bangkok updated its travel advice. “You should monitor news reports, follow the advice of the local authorities and take extra care,” the embassy said. “There is a high threat from terrorism.” |
| At least 11 foreigners were killed in the explosion, with Chinese, Hong Kong, Singaporean, Indonesian and Malaysian citizens among the dead. | At least 11 foreigners were killed in the explosion, with Chinese, Hong Kong, Singaporean, Indonesian and Malaysian citizens among the dead. |
| Beijing said it had demanded that embassy officials in Bangkok find out what had happened and “go all-out to help treat the injured people”. More than 20 of the 125 injured people were Chinese, according to a statement posted on the website of China’s embassy in Bangkok. | Beijing said it had demanded that embassy officials in Bangkok find out what had happened and “go all-out to help treat the injured people”. More than 20 of the 125 injured people were Chinese, according to a statement posted on the website of China’s embassy in Bangkok. |
| The Thai government has offered financial compensation to the wounded and the families of the dead, both Thais and foreigners. | The Thai government has offered financial compensation to the wounded and the families of the dead, both Thais and foreigners. |
| On Monday, glass, debris and body parts lined the major intersection by the shrine. Ambulances carried the critically wounded to several hospitals, which called for blood donations to cope with the injuries. By midday on Tuesday, the burned-out motorcycles and pools of blood had been washed away by street cleaners, who were moved in after police scoured the area for evidence. | |
| Tourists in the capital on Tuesday continued to shop and explore the city, although the Central World mall opposite the blast site was almost deserted. | Tourists in the capital on Tuesday continued to shop and explore the city, although the Central World mall opposite the blast site was almost deserted. |
| Marik Foudijs, a 24-year-old backpacker from the Netherlands, said he was staying in the Khaosan Road, the backpacker centre of Bangkok, when the bomb detonated. The army moved in with vehicles but the party continued, with bars open into the early hours. | |
| “It won’t affect the backpackers but maybe families with small children will decide not to come,” he said. | “It won’t affect the backpackers but maybe families with small children will decide not to come,” he said. |
| Thailand will want to solve the case fast to show it can enforce stability. The defence minister has said authorities are close to determining who detonated the bomb. | Thailand will want to solve the case fast to show it can enforce stability. The defence minister has said authorities are close to determining who detonated the bomb. |
| “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.” |
| Much of the violence in the south-east 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 did not bear the hallmarks of the rebels. | Much of the violence in the south-east 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 did 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,” the Thai army chief and deputy defence minister, Gen Udomdej Sitabutr, said in a televised interview. | |
| More than 6,500 people have been killed in the long-running insurgency in the south of the country since 2004, but militants have never before 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 never before launched an attack of this scale on the capital. |
| Bangkok has also 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 also 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. |
| Reacting to the bombing, Thailand’s baht currency slumped to a more than six-year low on Tuesday and shares fell in Bangkok. | Reacting to the bombing, Thailand’s baht currency slumped to a more than six-year low on Tuesday and shares fell in Bangkok. |