PM to seek help from Najib on bomb attacks

PRIME Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha will seek help from his Malaysian counterpart in regard to the ongoing investigation into the bomb and arson attacks last week while visiting Kuala Lumpur today, Deputy Premier Prawit Wongsuwan has said.

Prayut and Malaysian premier Najib Razak are due to attend the 1st International Conference on Blue Ocean Strategy today to discuss economic and innovation issues with counterparts from Polynesia, South Asia and Africa.

Four people were killed and dozens injured in a spate of bomb attacks in seven Thai provinces last Thursday and Friday. The crisis would be raised during a bilateral meeting between the Thai and Malaysian leaders, deputy government spokesperson Maj-Gen Werachon Sukondhapatipak said.

Earlier, Malaysia’s national news agency Bernama reported that Thai authorities had sought help from Malaysian officials to track a mobile phone used in a bomb attack in Phuket last Friday as the phone was said to have come from Malaysia.

Theories are also circulating that Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN), the independence movement active in Pattani and northern Malaysia, may be linked with the attacks, given to the group’s capabilities, operating patterns and habit of not claiming responsibility for attacks.

However, Thai police have denied the assumption and given more weight to motives related to the August 7 referendum in which the majority of voters backed the new charter draft.

Panitan Wattanayagorn, security adviser to Deputy PM and Defence Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwan, echoed similar thoughts.

“The blasts were obviously driven by political motives. They wanted to make up and manipulate these situations,” Panitan told BBC Thailand. “We have to see who lost their benefits the most from the currently progressive political developments.”

Prayut said earlier that people involved in the attacks had taken action before voting day, but there had been no conclusive evidence.

“Please allow officers some time to work on the matter. As things still remain unclear, please also be careful of what you say,” Prayut told reporters after presiding over a special meeting with high-ranking security officers.

Prawit, meanwhile, said he was confident that the blasts last week were not an extension of the southern insurgency, although they could have been carried out by militants.

 

‘Driven by domestic factors’ 

“[The blasts] must have been driven by domestic factors. There is no involvement from foreign countries,” Prawit said. “The incidents happened on August 12 [HM the Queen’s birthday and Mother’s Day] and also after the referendum. This could lead to many possibilities [in regard to motives].”

Prawit also said two kinds of bombs were used in the incidents but refused to disclose other details.

Meanwhile, National Police Chief Chakthip Chaijinda said the attacks were not connected to last year’s deadly explosion at Bangkok’s Erawan Shrine.

“We have worked with Malaysian police to check the origin of Samsung Hero mobile phones used in the August 11-12 incidents since this model is only sold in Malaysia. Malaysian authorities have been very cooperative, as we are investigating if the suspects also fled to Malaysia,” he said. 

Chakthip said police were gathering more evidence before asking the court to issue arrest warrants for additional suspects while urging the public to come forward if they have information about people possibly involved in the attacks.

Colonel Piyapong Klinphun, Spokesman for the National Council for Peace and Order, said people have been interrogated by the military following the attacks as police and other authorities work together to investigate motives behind the attacks.