Bid to allay fears over rumours of attacks
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Authorities closely monitoriong situation; Security stepped up at key locations around the country
POLICE and the military yesterday attempted to allay public fears of possible violent attacks throughout the country today, as had been claimed by arrested bomber suspects.
Colonel Winthai Suvari, spokesman for the National Council for Peace and Order, said that both the military and police officers had been closely monitoring the situation. He said security measures had been stepped up at many key locations.
“The public members should rest assured that the authorities have sufficient measures to deal with the situation,” the spokesman said.
The perpetrators of the recent grenade attack on the Criminal Court reportedly told police that their group had planned to carry out similar attacks at some 100 major locations throughout the country today.
Police have concluded that they are dealing with the same group responsible for the double explosions in early February outside Siam Paragon shopping mall.
Winthai said that the information provided by the perpetrators had yet to be proven but the authorities would not take risks. “Up till now, we have found nothing unusual,” he added.
Police said that the national police chief, General Somyot Poompanmoung, had ordered relevant police units to step up their security measures in order to prevent possible attacks.
Royal Thai Police spokesman Lt-General Prawut Thawornsiri said that police patrols had been increased at tourist destinations and other landmarks.
Prawut urged the public not to be overly worried about the reported confessions and the subsequent rumours that identified possible locations to be targeted in Bangkok’s business and shopping areas.
Prawut said that police officers from several units, both in uniform and in plainclothes, had been sent to different locations as part of the stepped-up security measures.
“We also got cooperation from the military. I would like to ask any public members with information about suspects to report it to police,” he said.
A military court yesterday granted a police request for further detention of four people arrested in connection with the bomb attack on the Criminal Court last Saturday.
The suspects – two men and two women – are Mahahin Khunthong, Yutthana Yenphinyo, Natthaphat Onming, and Thatchaphan Pokkhrong.
The charges against them include attempted murder, possessing explosive devices and violating martial law.
Police will seek arrest warrants for five more suspects for their alleged involvement in the attack, according to Prawut.
He said the police request would be submitted to a military court within a day or two.
The police spokesman did not identify the additional suspects facing arrest warrants. But he said that police had not decided to take any action regarding two figures close to former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra whose contact numbers were found in a suspect’s notebook.
