Thailand links Bangkok bombs to southern insurgents
SMALL bombs that rattled Bangkok as Thailand hosted world powers last week have been tied to insurgents from the conflict-hit south, the deputy prime minister said on Tuesday, as police hunt more suspects after arresting two men.
There were at least nine successf ul or attempted bomb blasts on Friday which left four people wounded as t he cit y hosted top diplomats including US Secretar y of State Mike Pompeo and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
The attacks occurred as anger grows over the recent arrest of a rebel suspect from the Muslim-majorit y south, who was found in a coma at an army camp where rights groups have documented a llegat ions of tor ture.
A preliminar y army-led probe said Abdulloh Esormusor, 34, could have been suf focated.
Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan told reporters that last week’s blasts were “linked to a southern group”.
“We have to investigate how they travelled, where they obtained the bombs,” he said.
Former junta leader turned civilian premier Prayut Chan-ocha said later on Tuesday there were nine suspects at large.
“An investigation is st i l l ongoing to bring them to just ice,” he said.
Two men from a southern province were arrested last week just hours after wires and ball bearings were found in an inactive device outside Thai police headquarters.
Prayut, who is also the defence minister, is travelling to the south on Wednesday on a previously scheduled trip.
Thailand remains deeply div ided af ter a controversia l election in March returned a junta to power as a civ ilian government, but it is a lso locked in a v iolent rebellion in t he sout h t hat has k illed thousands over the past 15 years.
The victims have been mostly civilians of both Buddhist and Muslim faiths.
Occasionally, the shadow y rebel cells ta ke t heir v iolence outside t heir region to mark key anniversaries or k ickback against specific Thai actions.