Link to global terrorists 'unlikely'

THAI SECURITY agencies believe it is “unlikely” that Monday’s bloody bomb blast, the worst attack on Thai soil, is related to international terrorists or that Chinese tourists were the primary target.

The key suspect remained on the run yesterday, while police have now increased the reward for providing information leading to his capture from Bt1 million to Bt2 million.

National Council for Peace and Order spokesman Colonel Winthai Suvari yesterday announced that security agencies and their foreign counterparts from allied countries have come to the same preliminary conclusion.

Monday’s blast killed 20 people, including foreigners of various nationalities. More than 100 people were injured. 

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, meanwhile, suggested that there was no clear evidence to link the explosion to international terrorism or to his government’s policy of repatriating Uighur migrants to China.

Because the suspected bomber looks like a foreigner, there has been speculation that the government’s Uighur repatriation policy could have motivated the attack. 

“No one should jump to a conclusion. There are also other probable causes, including domestic politics,” Prayut said. 

Political conflicts have haunted Thailand throughout the past decade. At the height of the conflicts, two military coups took place, one in 2006 and the other in 2014. 

“It’s possible that some Thais might have worked with foreigners to carry out such a deadly incident for political or other purposes,” Prayut said.

Regarding the government’s policy on Uighur migrants, he said other countries had also repatriated illegal migrants, but there was no retaliation.

Deputy Premier and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan said security agencies have stepped up surveillance at the reopened Erawan Shrine. He urged the public to be careful when using social media, as there has been a lot of false information including relating to the closure of schools and financial institutions.

Asked if the attack was connected to international terrorism, Prawit said he was not sure yet but the mastermind seems to have had the clear intent of damaging the country’s economy, especially by hurting the tourism industry. 

Prawit said the United States, Britain and Australia have offered to provide equipment that police might need during the investigation. 

“They are also ready to provide advice,” he said. 

National police assistant commissioner Lt-General Prawut Thavornsiri disclosed that police have been in contact with Interpol. 

According to police, the expanding scope of security footage, in terms of area and length of time, had already led to the identification of the tuk-tuk driver who the suspected bomber had hired to travel to the Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel on Monday. Two tuk-tuk drivers confirmed seeing a man who resembled the sketch released by the police.

After that ride, the suspect walked into the nearby Erawan Shrine and left his backpack there. A few minutes later, a big explosion hit the area. 

Police believe the suspected bomber must have had many accomplices and anyone inside the shrine that day could be a suspect. 

Police have already shifted their attention to two suspected accomplices – one in a red T-shirt and the other in a white T-shirt – who left the shrine soon after the suspected bomber walked in. They were seen panicking after the explosion. 

Maj-General Charnthep Sesawej, the deputy Bangkok police chief, said police had re-enacted Tuesday’s bomb attack under the Sathorn Bridge, but there was no conclusive evidence to link it to the Erawan Shrine attack. 

The blast did not cause any casualties or damage.