Bangkok bombing: Police hunt for two new suspects

After arresting a potential suspect of the Bangkok bombing from the city’s eastern outskirts, Thai police have issued arrest warrants for another two suspects on Monday.

Police have been also looking for a 26-year-old “woman wearing a black hijab” and a 46-year old foreign man as potential suspects involved in the deadly bombing at Bangkok's Erawan Shrine after they extended their search to a property in the city's Min Buri district, where they have discovered fertiliser, digital watches, an explosives detonator and bomb-making explosives.

Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha indicated that the suspects were caught on the CCTV camera near the blast. However, he did not specify the location covered by the surveillance video.

Thai authorities have previously confirmed they are after a man who was caught on CCTV footage wearing a yellow t-shirt leaving a bag at the shrine minutes before explosion. Police also found several passports and bomb-making explosives in the apartment block of the man arrested last Friday from the Nong Chok district. However, they are yet to confirm his original nationality.

Army Chief General Udomdej Sitabutr insisted that the man had clear connection in the Bangkok bombing and said the authorities have already started questioning the man but refused to comment further to avoid jeopardising the probe.

As the investigation continues, police have accused the Thai government of poor maintenance over broken security cameras, which have prevented the police from smooth investigation. Investigators have said the explosion has put tourists’ safety in jeopardy and damaged the reputation of Thailand’s tourism industry.

On the other hand, police have been also criticised for the lack of conducting investigation properly because they have been able to find only a few clues regarding the suspects behind the blast. Also, no group has claimed responsibility.

On August 17, Central Bangkok was hit by a deadly bomb explosion outside a religious shrine, killing at least 27 people and wounding several others. Among those dead, four of them are reported to be foreigners. Most of the injured were tourists from China and Taiwan. The military government of Thailand said the bombing was a severe blow to the economy as tourism industry was highly affected.

According to the ABC , Thai police have included international jihadists, members of Thailand's southern Malay-Muslim insurgency and China's ethnic Uighur minority as potential groups that could be behind the attack. They have also interrogated three Uighur Muslims who were suspected to be in connection with the Bangkok bombing.

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