Police Offer 100,000 Baht Reward For Clues to BKK Bombers

Police officers patrol the skywalk near Siam Paragon shopping mall on 5 February 2015, following the double bombings in the area last week.

BANGKOK — The Bangkok Metropolitan Police force is a offering a 100,000 baht reward to anyone who can provide information that leads to an arrest of suspects behind the twin bombings in central Bangkok last Sunday.

The homemade pipe bombs went off at around 8.10 pm of 1 February on the walkway that connects Siam Paragon, one of the largest shopping malls in Thailand, and Siam skytrain station, the largest and busiest BTS station in the city. One person was reported injured by the blast. 

Police say CCTV footage shows two suspects planting the bombs and leaving the scene prior to the blast, but their faces are concealed by baseball caps. The arrest warrants, issued by the court on 4 February, describe them simply as "unidentified Thai men."

"If police can use [the information] as clues for their arrests, we will give the reward right away," Pol.Maj.Gen. Chitti said yesterday, adding that citizens can report tips to the police by dialing 08-1817-1617. 

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Pol.Gen. Somyot Pumpanmuang, chief of the Royal Thai Police, also denied media reports that suspects had already been arrested.

According to Pol.Gen. Somyot, police merely summoned individuals "whom the police believed to have information or evidence that would benefit our investigation to give their testimony as information givers."

"Six to seven" people have been summoned for their testimony so far, a police officer told Khaosod

Police have yet to determine a motive behind the attack, which they say was launched as an act of harassment, and not designed to injure or kill. 

There has been widespread speculation on social media about whether a political group was behind bombing, which occurred in the heart of Bangkok's financial center and while the country remains under martial law. 

Since seizing power on 22 May 2014, the ruling military junta has touted martial law as a necessary means to restore peace and order following the sporadic violence that characterized the six months of anti-government protests prior to the coup.

Underground militants believed to be affiliated with both Thailand's Redshirt and Yellowshirt factions launched grenade and shooting attacks on rival groups during the protests. Most of the 28 fatalities were protesters killed by shadowy assailants who attacked rally sites. 

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