ERAWAN SHIRINE
The National Council for Peace and Order said it has at this stage
ruled out any link between the Erawan shrine bomb in Bangkok and
international terrorism, in its daily briefing on nationwide live
television
at noon on Thursday.
NCPO spokesman Winthai Suvaree said security agencies
collaborating with Thailand's allies had come to the same preliminary
conclusion -- the incident is unlikely to involve international tourism,
and
Chinese tourists were not the direct target because people of other nationalities were also affected.
Col Winthai said the bombing was probably the work of organised crime, or kabuankarn. A bomb exploded at busy Erawan shrine on Ratchaprasong
intersection on Monday night, killing 20 people and injuring another
125. The police investigation has led to the issue of an arrest warrant
for an
unnamed foreigner, based on CCTV footage, and two more men were being sought for questioning.
A month to plan
National police chief Somyot Pumpunmuang said Thursday morning
that the deadly bombing took more than a month to plan and was executed
by more than 10 people. "This blast was made by teams," Pol Gen Somyot said, adding it
would have taken about a month to plan Monday's assault on the Erawan
shrine.
Stating his belief that "more than 10 people" were involved, Pol
Gen Somyot said the bomber would have needed several people to survey
the site, plan an entry and exit strategy and acquire and make the
bomb, which brought carnage to the capital at rush hour.
"I believe this network has links with people inside Thailand," he added.
Victims' families contacted
The bombing claimed the lives of at least 13 foreigners -- from
China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. One of the Hong
Kong victims was also a British national.
The government has already contacted the families of 16 victims,
helping them submit documents for compensation, and nine have already
received payment. Of the injured, 70 people have been contacted to submit the necessary papers, and some of them have already been paid. According to the Public Health Ministry, 56 of the injured have
left hospital, while 67 remained hospitalised as of Thursday morning.
Col Winthai said the identities of most of the deceased had been
verified. Two were still being verified, so people who think they may be
their relatives should contact the Police Hospital.
He warned that the NCPO would increase the level of legal action
against people who post misinformation about the bombing on social
media, and against people who incite confusion and panic. AFP news agency reported on Thursday that Prime Minister Prayut
Chan-o-Cha said he would not attend a memorial service for the victims
at the shrine on Friday because of growing fears for his safety.
"I will not go there on the advice of my security. I am not afraid
of dying, but I am afraid others may die with me as my risk is
increasing day by day," he said during an official function at Bangkok.
Nobody has claimed responsibility for the attack, which has no precedent in Bangkok.
