National police chief Wichean Potephosree was on Wednesday morning briefed by the leaders of the team investigating the explosion at Samarn Metta Mantion in Nonthaburi's Bang Bua Thong district, at Region 1 police headquarters.
Three bodies were found after the explosion on Tuesday night, and nine other people were admitted to hospital. A fourth body, of a man, was found under the debris of the building on Wednesday.
Pol Gen Wichean said after the briefing that the bomb went off about 6pm in room 202 of the five storey apartment building. The room was rented by Samai Wongsuwan, from Chiang Mai, on Sept 23. Mr Samai stayed there with another man and his wife, whose names were still unknown.
On Oct 5, the apartment's housekeeper saw Mr Samai and the couple carrying two or three sacks containing unknown items into their room about 1pm, five hours before the blast.
Background checks revealed that Mr Samai was once accused of throwing a grenade in Chiang Mai in 2009, but he had never been charged.
Mr Samai had also taken part in the prolonged United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) protest at Ratchaprasong this year.
The explosion was believed to be caused by about 10kg of TNT and to have been set off by mistake while a bomb was being assembled in the room.
Police found in the room 12-volt batteries, electric wire, electronic circuits and gas and fire extinguisher cylinders stuffed with urea fertiliser.
Based on this evidence, police believed the explosion might be linked to four bombs found earlier at Santirat Witthaya School, the Public Health Ministry parking lot, the parking lot of The Mall department store in Ngam Wong Wan, and Nang Lerng racing course.
Police also found an HK rifle in the room.
Pol Gen Panupong Singhara na Ayutthaya, acting deputy police chief, said it was not yet know whether one of the dead bodies found was Mr Samai. A DNA test would be needed to confirm this, he said.
He said there was no evidence linking the pick-up truck with Narathiwat licence plates used by the couple who stayed with Mr Samai to terrorist activities in the far South, or to the 11 men arrested recently in Chiang Mai.
Samarn Boonprasert, 60, the owner of Samarn Metta Mansion, who operates community radio FM 106.25 station from a building opposite his apartment, told police that he had nothing to do with the past protests of the red-shirts.
Security was stepped throughout the inner city area on Wednesday in the wake of the explosion. Troops were deployed to guard the government administrative complex on Chaeng Wattana road, with visitors being searched and vehicles being checked for bombs.
Authorities have been told to be on high alert as political groups plan to organise commemorative gatherings this month to mark past bloodshed, including the student uprisings in 1973 and 1976 and the yellow-shirt protest in 2008.
Department of Special Investigation (DSI) chief Tharit Pengdit said reports of red-shirts being given weapons training in readiness to create unrest and assassinate important people, especially on days marking important political events, had been confirmed
Mr Tharit was referring to Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban's remarks about United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) members having undergone arms training in a neighbouring country and had plans to cause violence and assassinate 39 important people in Thailand.
He said the DSI had some time ago obtained the same information -- that those trained armed men had been deployed at various symbolic spots, especially in Bangkok, and were ready for action.
The fatal explosion last night at the apartment building in Nonthaburi served as a warning of the possibility of more violence throughout the month of October, Mr Tharit said.
Asked about the arrest of 11 men in Chiang Mai, Mr Tharit said the DSI had sent officials to conduct additional investigations as requested by the Region 5 Police.
The case was expected to be transferred to the DSI, he said.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said in the morning that he was saddened by the explosion.
"I have instructed security officials to expedite the investigation and clarify the incident to the public promptly," Mr Abhisit said.
The prime minister, who is attending the 8th Asia-Europe Meeting (Asem) in Brussels, said he had told the European Union that the state of emergency was needed to help the officials in dealing with the recent bombings.
"I told the EU that the government is careful about human rights violations and that the country has mechanisms to monitor and inspect human rights issues," he said.
Deputy Prime Minister in charge of security affairs Suthep Thaugsuban expressed confidence that authorities can bring the situation under control.
"The situation is still normal," Mr Suthep said when reporters asked him whether authorities can control the security situation in the capital.
This photo gallery shows the scene at the ruins of Samarn Metta Mansion on Wednesday. (Photos by Tawatchai Kemgumnerd)
No comments:
Post a Comment