Bangkok bombing: Manhunt for suspect seen leaving backpack

The focus of the investigation into Monday’s bombing of Bangkok’s Erawan shrine, which killed 22 people and injured 123, has turned to video footage of a man in a yellow T-shirt leaving a backpack near the shrine.

The leader of the military junta, General Prayuth Chan-ocha, went on television to reassure foreigners of their safety and to promise that the perpetrators would be brought to justice.

“We haven’t concluded yet who did this. There are two possibilities between politics and international issues. I haven’t ruled out anything. But there are already conflicts in politics. Who lit the fuse, can you answer me?” he said to reporters.

He called it the "worst ever attack" on Thailand. The shrine is dedicated to the Hindu god Brahma, but it is also popular with Buddhists and attracts many visitors from east Asia, as well as local Thais. It is surrounded by high-end hotels, tourism sites and the Skytrain subway system.

A massive manhunt was on for the man, who Lieut Gen Prawut Thavornsiri earlier said “wasn’t just the suspect. He is the bomber”.

CCTV footage

The CCTV footage shows the man, who wore shorts and had shaggy hair, sitting down, taking off his backpack’s straps, and walking away with a plastic bag and a mobile phone.

Nationals from China, Hong Kong, the UK, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore were among the foreigners killed in the attack.

National police chief Somyot Pumpanmuang said the suspect could be Thai or foreign, but said finding evidence was difficult.

“This time, the attack was a perfect bombing . . . there was no evidence left about the bomb,” he told a news briefing.

“That man was carrying a backpack and walked past the scene at the time of the incident. But we need to look at the before and after CCTV footage to see if there is a link,” Mr Somyot told a news conference.

As to who was behind the blast, Mr Somyot said: “Police are not ruling out anything including [Thai] politics and the conflict of ethnic Uighurs who, before this, Thailand sent back to China.”

Thailand forcibly returned 109 Uighurs to western China last month.

Separate attack

In a separate attack on Tuesday, a small explosive device was thrown at Sathorn pier in the city, but no one was hurt.

Monday’s blast struck a heavy blow to Thailand’s tourism industry, which makes up more than 10 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product. – (Additional reporting by Reuters)