BANGKOK: Thai police say they are certain that a man seen on CCTV dropping a backpack at a Hindu shrine shortly before a bomb ripped through central Bangkok and killed 22 people was responsible for the blast.
The security camera footage, which was broadcast on Thai media, shows a young man in a yellow T-shirt and shorts sitting on a bench and taking off a large, black backpack. He then stands up and walks away before checking his phone.
Footage from another angle shows the man without the black bag walking away from the area where the bomb exploded. It is timestamped 6.40pm, minutes before the blast at the Erawan shrine.
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No group has claimed responsibility for the bombing of the Erawan shrine, a major attraction for both Hindus and Buddhists from Thailand and around Asia, especially China. The explosion, the most deadly in Thailand’s recent history, tore through the shrine, killing men on motorbikes in the street and passersby.
A massive security breach, metres from luxury malls and five-star hotels in the heart of the capital, poses a major challenge to the military junta that seized power in May last year. The government has promised to bring security and stability after months of violent political turmoil.
The prime minister, Prayuth Chan-ocha, told media the attack was “the worst incident that has ever happened in Thailand”.
CCT footage of suspected bomber. He suspiciously leave his bag & moves away #BangkokBlast pic.twitter.com/1cjTh29fRx @Go_Global_Media
— Kristina Dei (@2kdei) August 18, 2015
