BANGKOK — The top suspect in Bangkok’s deadly bomb attack traveled to the scene from a location halfway between the Hua Lamphong Railway Station and Chulalongkorn University, according to the man who says he drove him there.
Tuk-tuk driver Suchart Pan-ngam, 37, stepped forward this afternoon to answer questions to police who had been searching for him since footage of Monday’s attack showed the lead suspect arriving on the scene by tuk-tuk.
Leaked Police Report Tracks Lead Suspect Before, After Bombing
Suchart identified himself the driver in CCTV footage bringing the suspect to Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel on Monday minutes before the blast.
Suchart said he recalled picking the suspect up from a car repair shop near Soi Wat Duang Khae Alley, around three kilometers west of the shrine, according to police officers at the Pathumwan Police Station.
The alley is a five minute walk from Hua Lamphong.
Map showing Wat Duang Khae Alley relative to the Erawan Shrine in Bangkok.
According to police, Suchart said the suspect showed him a map pointing to the location of Grand Hyatt Erawan, so he brought the man to the hotel, collected the fare, and drove away.
Information from police did not indicate the man speaking to Suchart. Rumors regarding what language he might have been heard speaking have shared widely, but no confirmed information has come to light.
After the suspect left Suchart’s vehicle, he was seen by CCTV walking toward the Erawan Shrine, a popular place of worship for Thais and foreign tourists alike.
The camera showed him putting down his backpack and walking away from the scene. Minutes later a bomb struck the shrine, killing at least 20 people and wounding more than 150.
Suchart insisted he had no connection to the bomb plot, police say.
Related stories:
Leaked Police Report Tracks Lead Suspect Before, After Bombing
Bangkok Bombing: Police Turn to Interpol as Investigation Stalls
1M Baht Bounty for Bangkok Bomb Suspect
Police Widen Hunt for Bombing ‘Network’
Bangkok Shrine Bombing: Those Who Died
Day in Photos: Expressions of Grief, Unity After Terror Attacks
Briton Dies in Bangkok Shrine Bombing
Despite Lack of Evidence, Thai Media Points Blame at Uighurs
Tourists Narrowly Escape Second Bangkok Bombing in 24 Hours
