BANGKOK — As investigators picked through the wreckage of the powerful bomb blast that brought death and destruction to a popular shrine in the Thai capital, suspicions focused on one man.
Thai police said Tuesday they are hunting for a suspect seen in CCTV footage who they believe may be connected to the bombing, which ripped through crowds gathered near the Erawan Shrine on Monday evening, killing at least 22 people and reportedly injuring about 120.
In one CCTV image released by police, the man is seen carrying a dark-colored backpack near the shrine. In another, he no longer has the backpack. He’s wearing a yellow T-shirt and dark-framed glasses.
Royal Thai Police Commissioner Gen. Somyot Poompanmoung said authorities don’t yet know the suspect’s identity or whether he is Thai or a foreigner.
“We need more evidence before we can make any conclusions,” he told reporters at a news conference, saying that police were studying more than 10 days’ worth of CCTV footage from the area.
The shrine, situated at a bustling intersection near a large shopping mall, is a big draw for tourists. At least seven people from other Asian countries were reported to be among the dead as well as one Briton. The site is popular among Buddhists as well as Hindu and Sikh members of Thailand’s Indian community.
“From this incident, it is apparent that there are active individuals or groups that harbor the intention to damage Thailand, who may be pursuing political gain or other intentions by damaging the economy and tourism,” Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said.
Adding to the jitters, a new explosion was heard Tuesday at a pier on the Chao Phraya River that flows through Bangkok, police told CNN. No injuries have been reported, and the pier has been closed, said police spokesman Lt. Gen. Prawut Thavornsiri.
It was unclear whether the two blasts were connected in any way.
