I’ve been struck by a couple of things about the bombing:
1) how quickly the CCTV footage identifying the suspect was made available to media organisations. Someone went through what could have been hours and hours of recordings and found this footage very quickly.
2) how the camera angles of this footage are able to follow the suspect as he moves. Is this because the footage has been edited to focus on him? The footage picks him up from two angles (in the shrine area and leaving it) really well.
3) given how quickly the first CCTV material came out, why don’t we have more? Is it just because there aren’t cameras in the right places?
4) It must be possible for the police to put together possible routes that the suspect took as he left the scene. He was wearing a distinctive outfit. It would help to have this information in the media so people could be encouraged to come forward.
5) It is possible, though unlikely, that the suspect didn’t know what was in the bag. It looks as if he made a phone call when he put the bag down but he may not have realised the significance of what he was doing.
I make all these points because one would hope for a systematic approach from the police to tracing this young man. The video was released quickly and you would think lots of people would have recognised him from it.
A good media strategy is critical in these situations. It can reassure the public and help hugely in capturing evidence. I worry that the police haven’t seized the opportunity as they might and the suspect will have got away.
Ms Rachanee . . . Of course you are right. Silly, silly Rose, and here silly, silly, silly admirers. In addition to politicians’ useless, you call our attention to the uselessness of civil servants in Thailand. Let’s abolish all the ministries and fire all their officers, as His Majesty and his Office of Royal Projects are can solve all of Thailand’s problems without them!
Unless Shwe Mann enjoys sufficient support in the army he no longer commands as well as in the USDP there is no way he can become president. And if he does and they are willing and prepared to back him all the way there will be trouble ahead. All for the better perhaps.
As for ASSK even if all goes well she still won’t be president until she hits seventy five. She probably would refuse to be put out to grass given her all consuming ambition. Good luck to her but I won’t bet on it.
What if the target date was ‘ bike for Mom’ day? Meaning the bombers could not assemble their IEDs on time so they hastily blew Erawan site instead. Will this dimension change one’s suspicions of who could be behind the heinous bombings?
‘No one wants their citizens in this popular tourist destination exposed to the dangers of another terrorist attack.’
Ummm, who was it that said Australians should keep travelling to Thailand otherwise the bombers [not Essendon] would have won?
After the Sari Club cockup [don’t forget that a terror warning WAS issued – for E.Timor, the wrong country] Govt advised us NOT to go to Bali and hastened to limit future liability, legal and moral, with Smart Traveller. The current PM seems not to agree.
Why do Thai authorities refuse assistance from the UK, who have decades of experience in terrorist bombings with IRA and more recently Islamist groups in London ?
Less than 24 hours after the explosion the BMA has water trucks and sweepers washing away all the evidence – why the hurry to wash it all away. If it is important to catch these bombers then shutting down the intersection for a couple of days is not a problem. Very strange.
The quick denial (couple of hours after bombing) of any Southern Islamist link is very suspicious.
There has been no claim of responsibility, or has there, how would anyone know unless we are told by those its been given to. If those it has been given to want to hold it back then we will never know. Pointless avenue to follow.
As far as politics, if the bombing were linked to Uighers or the South then it would perhaps reflect very badly on the ruling NRC/Junta. If they can find opportunity in the chaos they could, if I was them, never find the bomber and then use this against red shirts and keep hinting to everyone in the media its the red shirts. The Thai Army has a long history of misinformation, disinformation and use of such tactics against the communists years ago – it is one thing they are very good at.
The explosive appears to be C4 (something being hidden in the Thai media) and that means either military or major terrorist group involvement.
The pick up truck bombing in Koh Samui in April all pointed to a more active Islamist group starting to take action in Thailand – the worlds intelligence community told Thailand this, the Junta just wanted to link red shirts and eventually it all went quiet when they could not link red shirts, the Islamist link was buried out of sight. That appears to have been the warning sign that this new group have the means to start doing serious bombings.
Since most academics do NOT have access to classified information, many assumptions are made on the basis of superficial beliefs. I state again, that there are precedents for Pattani Malay extremist activity in Bangkok (not Thai Muslim activity, which is more quiescent). Invocation of red and yellow shirts and angry Uighurs are all fine and dandy, but the intelligence community, both in Thailand and in the West, can read the same local papers as tenured professors. The additional resource that the IC has is classified information. It may behoove academia to put aside their traditional hostility to the intelligence community and the military. This is not proof that academia is wrong, but then academia ONLY see what they are supposed to see, and to automatically discount surreptitious analytical resources, which are often accurate, is foolish and does not serve the purpose of truth. Much of the science in political science has been traded for ideological rancor and unbridled academic careerism (something also not unfamiliar to those who work in the “shadows”).
#5/ there is a place where high level factional interests have a lot at stake/ ├а leur portée/ continuing access to resources, wealth and power. They are going to lose it all if a certain leader emerges. So, not atypically, they make a coup and put up front a jolly simpleton general who was supposed to carry out orders for them and put certain interests back in power. But things went horribly wrong, as power started to skew in the wrong direction for them. Now these interests will stop at nothing to achieve their plans. What happened in Bangkok sadly We guess this is just the start.
One more “cynical” remark:
Knowledge will flow where it counts, the same way as capital flows where investors (Wall Street that is) can make the best return, natural resources (important for Australia and Burma) are sold to anyone who offers the right price (in Burma it is more about bribery!) irrespective of ideology or environmental consequences.
Jobs will flow where you get the “best return on your investment (ROI)” irrespective of social and political consequences.
There are the mantras of modern “Global Capitalism”. Nothing wrong with that since the majority of human beings accepts greed and materialism as a worthy goal. Everyone is supposed to “optimise” his/her chances in life to “make a quick buck” even if it means “ripping off the other guy” (not to mention the environment)
Altrusim is dead.
Long Live Rentier-Capitalism!
I have a very optimistic view about Western countries!
Of course, there are such students but they might be in the minority nowadays.
There is a massive recruitment of Chinese and other Asian students into cash-strapped Western Universities. Just check out the MBA programs for example. I have helped a lot of Chinese and other “international” students get “settled” in North America. Many “international students” use admission to a University as a back-door for immigration (at least in North America, Australia might have stricter rules?) I have spoken to many such students (before I write letters for them), so that’s how I know what’s going on. They are quite frank with me about these things because I am a dark-skinned Asian who also “settled overseas”. The Chinese students normally complain a lot about pollution and cut-throat competition in China. Health care and social welfare are the other things they like about the West.
By the way, the CEO of Google, Sundar Pichai and the CEO of Microsoft, Satya Nadella were students from India who studied in the US (before they “settled down” and became “big shots”)
sorry, it is none of the above; many of us know who did it but cannot say for obvious reasons. Zachary Abuza is way off field in his wild analysis. All I will say here is that it is internal, military linked. The stakes are high. Look to the same interests who burned down Central World in 2010. Prayut knows.
There are also a lot of talented young individuals including public servants on scholarship willing to give up their opportunity to settle overseas after graduation and returned home for better or for worse.
The very people that are responsible for this bombing are the junta and their master. They are the people who oppress others for their own greed, they committed an act of treason. It’s time Thais stood up and toppled them.
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Lèse-majesté today
Paul Handley@#16 – don’t you think your comment here is rather fanciful ? There is unlikely to ever be another great Bumiphol.
Who is behind the Bangkok blast?
I’ve been struck by a couple of things about the bombing:
1) how quickly the CCTV footage identifying the suspect was made available to media organisations. Someone went through what could have been hours and hours of recordings and found this footage very quickly.
2) how the camera angles of this footage are able to follow the suspect as he moves. Is this because the footage has been edited to focus on him? The footage picks him up from two angles (in the shrine area and leaving it) really well.
3) given how quickly the first CCTV material came out, why don’t we have more? Is it just because there aren’t cameras in the right places?
4) It must be possible for the police to put together possible routes that the suspect took as he left the scene. He was wearing a distinctive outfit. It would help to have this information in the media so people could be encouraged to come forward.
5) It is possible, though unlikely, that the suspect didn’t know what was in the bag. It looks as if he made a phone call when he put the bag down but he may not have realised the significance of what he was doing.
I make all these points because one would hope for a systematic approach from the police to tracing this young man. The video was released quickly and you would think lots of people would have recognised him from it.
A good media strategy is critical in these situations. It can reassure the public and help hugely in capturing evidence. I worry that the police haven’t seized the opportunity as they might and the suspect will have got away.
Terrorism in the heart of Thailand
Because it’s the quickest and easiest way to get around Bangkok?
Thai elitism and hierarchy
Ms Rachanee . . . Of course you are right. Silly, silly Rose, and here silly, silly, silly admirers. In addition to politicians’ useless, you call our attention to the uselessness of civil servants in Thailand. Let’s abolish all the ministries and fire all their officers, as His Majesty and his Office of Royal Projects are can solve all of Thailand’s problems without them!
Watch the enemies from your own side
Unless Shwe Mann enjoys sufficient support in the army he no longer commands as well as in the USDP there is no way he can become president. And if he does and they are willing and prepared to back him all the way there will be trouble ahead. All for the better perhaps.
As for ASSK even if all goes well she still won’t be president until she hits seventy five. She probably would refuse to be put out to grass given her all consuming ambition. Good luck to her but I won’t bet on it.
Who is behind the Bangkok blast?
What if the target date was ‘ bike for Mom’ day? Meaning the bombers could not assemble their IEDs on time so they hastily blew Erawan site instead. Will this dimension change one’s suspicions of who could be behind the heinous bombings?
Terrorism in the heart of Thailand
‘No one wants their citizens in this popular tourist destination exposed to the dangers of another terrorist attack.’
Ummm, who was it that said Australians should keep travelling to Thailand otherwise the bombers [not Essendon] would have won?
After the Sari Club cockup [don’t forget that a terror warning WAS issued – for E.Timor, the wrong country] Govt advised us NOT to go to Bali and hastened to limit future liability, legal and moral, with Smart Traveller. The current PM seems not to agree.
Who is behind the Bangkok blast?
Time for me to bust out the tin foil hat – I’m pointing the finger at the government.
Who is behind the Bangkok blast?
Thanks to The Nation news that always trying to put everything bad to The Red before the investigation begin.
Who is behind the Bangkok blast?
Many questions are raised.
Why do Thai authorities refuse assistance from the UK, who have decades of experience in terrorist bombings with IRA and more recently Islamist groups in London ?
Less than 24 hours after the explosion the BMA has water trucks and sweepers washing away all the evidence – why the hurry to wash it all away. If it is important to catch these bombers then shutting down the intersection for a couple of days is not a problem. Very strange.
The quick denial (couple of hours after bombing) of any Southern Islamist link is very suspicious.
There has been no claim of responsibility, or has there, how would anyone know unless we are told by those its been given to. If those it has been given to want to hold it back then we will never know. Pointless avenue to follow.
As far as politics, if the bombing were linked to Uighers or the South then it would perhaps reflect very badly on the ruling NRC/Junta. If they can find opportunity in the chaos they could, if I was them, never find the bomber and then use this against red shirts and keep hinting to everyone in the media its the red shirts. The Thai Army has a long history of misinformation, disinformation and use of such tactics against the communists years ago – it is one thing they are very good at.
The explosive appears to be C4 (something being hidden in the Thai media) and that means either military or major terrorist group involvement.
The pick up truck bombing in Koh Samui in April all pointed to a more active Islamist group starting to take action in Thailand – the worlds intelligence community told Thailand this, the Junta just wanted to link red shirts and eventually it all went quiet when they could not link red shirts, the Islamist link was buried out of sight. That appears to have been the warning sign that this new group have the means to start doing serious bombings.
Terrorism in the heart of Thailand
Why would a “professional terrorist” rely on a motorcycle taxi to get away?
Terrorism in the heart of Thailand
Since most academics do NOT have access to classified information, many assumptions are made on the basis of superficial beliefs. I state again, that there are precedents for Pattani Malay extremist activity in Bangkok (not Thai Muslim activity, which is more quiescent). Invocation of red and yellow shirts and angry Uighurs are all fine and dandy, but the intelligence community, both in Thailand and in the West, can read the same local papers as tenured professors. The additional resource that the IC has is classified information. It may behoove academia to put aside their traditional hostility to the intelligence community and the military. This is not proof that academia is wrong, but then academia ONLY see what they are supposed to see, and to automatically discount surreptitious analytical resources, which are often accurate, is foolish and does not serve the purpose of truth. Much of the science in political science has been traded for ideological rancor and unbridled academic careerism (something also not unfamiliar to those who work in the “shadows”).
Politics and security in Thailand
#5/ there is a place where high level factional interests have a lot at stake/ ├а leur portée/ continuing access to resources, wealth and power. They are going to lose it all if a certain leader emerges. So, not atypically, they make a coup and put up front a jolly simpleton general who was supposed to carry out orders for them and put certain interests back in power. But things went horribly wrong, as power started to skew in the wrong direction for them. Now these interests will stop at nothing to achieve their plans. What happened in Bangkok sadly We guess this is just the start.
Making knowledge count
One more “cynical” remark:
Knowledge will flow where it counts, the same way as capital flows where investors (Wall Street that is) can make the best return, natural resources (important for Australia and Burma) are sold to anyone who offers the right price (in Burma it is more about bribery!) irrespective of ideology or environmental consequences.
Jobs will flow where you get the “best return on your investment (ROI)” irrespective of social and political consequences.
There are the mantras of modern “Global Capitalism”. Nothing wrong with that since the majority of human beings accepts greed and materialism as a worthy goal. Everyone is supposed to “optimise” his/her chances in life to “make a quick buck” even if it means “ripping off the other guy” (not to mention the environment)
Altrusim is dead.
Long Live Rentier-Capitalism!
Making knowledge count
Cronus,
I have a very optimistic view about Western countries!
Of course, there are such students but they might be in the minority nowadays.
There is a massive recruitment of Chinese and other Asian students into cash-strapped Western Universities. Just check out the MBA programs for example. I have helped a lot of Chinese and other “international” students get “settled” in North America. Many “international students” use admission to a University as a back-door for immigration (at least in North America, Australia might have stricter rules?) I have spoken to many such students (before I write letters for them), so that’s how I know what’s going on. They are quite frank with me about these things because I am a dark-skinned Asian who also “settled overseas”. The Chinese students normally complain a lot about pollution and cut-throat competition in China. Health care and social welfare are the other things they like about the West.
By the way, the CEO of Google, Sundar Pichai and the CEO of Microsoft, Satya Nadella were students from India who studied in the US (before they “settled down” and became “big shots”)
Making knowledge count, indeed!
Politics and security in Thailand
Jaypeace – you could however say HOW you know, at least in general terms.
Politics and security in Thailand
sorry, it is none of the above; many of us know who did it but cannot say for obvious reasons. Zachary Abuza is way off field in his wild analysis. All I will say here is that it is internal, military linked. The stakes are high. Look to the same interests who burned down Central World in 2010. Prayut knows.
Making knowledge count
Marayu,
What a pessimistic view!
There are also a lot of talented young individuals including public servants on scholarship willing to give up their opportunity to settle overseas after graduation and returned home for better or for worse.
Who is behind the Bangkok blast?
The very people that are responsible for this bombing are the junta and their master. They are the people who oppress others for their own greed, they committed an act of treason. It’s time Thais stood up and toppled them.
Who is behind the Bangkok blast?
Unless there are outside witnesses in this Erawan bombing investigation, I do not trust this junta. They lack credibility.