Page 11 - ARUBATODDAY 22AUG,2015
P. 11
WORLD NEWS A11
Saturday 22 August 2015
Thailand seeks US help to find Bangkok bomber, raises reward
Doves are released for peace at the Erawan Shrine at Rajprasong intersection, the scene of Mon- es, authorities appeared technology to help speed
day’s bombing, in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, Aug. 21, 2015. Somber horns sounded Friday at the more guarded in their the investigation.
site of Bangkok’s deadly bomb blast as officials joined a multi-religious ceremony for victims of statements. Military spokes- “There are automatic ma-
this week’s attack, the latest effort to show that the bustling capital was respectfully, if cautiously, man Col. chines that can detect 100
moving on. Winthai Suvaree said on people within 5-6 seconds,”
television that the police Somyot said Thursday.
(AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) were making “much prog- “Making people sit and do
ress” but that he could not the job would take all day.”
disclose any details. The U.S. Embassy con-
Police have released a firmed that it had offered
sketch of the suspect — de- to help Thai authorities but
picting him with eyeglasses declined to give specifics,
and bushy, black hair — citing the ongoing investi-
and offered a reward that gation.
on Friday was raised to 3 “The Embassy in Bangkok
million baht ($85,000), So- has informed Thai authori-
myot said. ties that we stand ready to
On a police arrest war- assist with the investigation
rant he is described as a as needed,” said embas-
“foreign man,” although sy spokeswoman Melissa
a military spokesman said Sweeney.
Thursday that a connec- “We will continue to con-
tion to international terror- sult closely with local au-
ism seemed unlikely. thorities regarding the at-
Somyot had signaled the tack and will provide assis-
need for facial recognition tance as appropriate.”q
N. ANUSONADISAI tal’s busiest intersections,
J. GECKER there were few solid leads
Associated Press into the perpetrators of the
BANGKOK (AP) — Thai- attack that also left more
land raised a reward Friday than 120 injured.
for tips leading to the ar- Police were still searching
rest of the main suspect in Friday for the prime suspect
Bangkok’s deadly bomb- seen in a security video
ing and turned to the Unit- dropping off a backpack
ed States for help in track- near a bench at the site
ing down those behind the about 15 minutes before
attack that left 20 people the blast, a day after clear-
dead. ing two other men seen in
Prime Minister Prayuth the video who were initially
Chan-ocha said he had re- believed to be suspects.
ceived offers of assistance National police chief So-
from the U.S. Embassy in myot Poompanmoung
Bangkok and had assigned told reporters that police
his deputy “to cooperate were looking for a woman
on borrowing equipment wearing a black shirt who
that includes facial-recog- appeared in the footage,
nition technology.” seated near the suspect.
Prayuth, however, ruled He noted she was not
out working with U.S. inves- considered a suspect but
tigators, insisting Thais can could have valuable wit-
do the job. ness testimony, if police
“It won’t be necessary to could find her.
cooperate on the investi- “We don’t even know who
gation with U.S. officers,” she is,” Somyot said. When
Prayuth told reporters. “We asked if any persons of in-
need to help ourselves.” terest would be called in
Four days after the explo- Friday, he said, “No.”
sion at the revered Erawan After being criticized for
Shrine, at one of the capi- sending confusing messag-
