Bomb cache suspect close to Kotee, says police chief
National police chief Chakthip Chaijinda has confirmed a man detained in Nonthaburi on Monday night with explosives in his possession is a former soldier who served as head security guard for the red-shirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship in past political violent incidents.
Pol Gen Chakthip also confirmed that Kritchapol Poolsil, 53, the former soldier from Yala, worked for fugitive Wuthipong “Kotee” Kochathamakun, a leader of a group of hard-line members of the UDD, during the political unrest.
Also known as Private 1st Class Sukij, the suspect was detained for questioning shortly after a cleaner found a grenade, six small bombs and a stash of giant firecrackers in a room at an apartment in Nonthaburi.
Investigators learned he had rented the apartment at least five years ago and had fallen behind on the payments.
According to police, the suspect allegedly admitted to have worked for Mr Wuthipong, a hard-line member of the UDD who reportedly fled to Laos to escape lese majeste charges.
In response to criticism that the detention of the suspect and the seizure of the explosives could have been a set-up, deputy national police chief Srivara Ransibrahmanakul said the suspect had admitted to owning the bombs and the security officials had intelligence information about him before his detention.
Pol Gen Chakthip said the detention of the suspect and the confiscation of the bombs followed a tip-off provided to the police by a civilian.
Worachai Hemma, a red-shirt core leader, described the suspect’s capture as an attempt to divert attention away from the negative publicity about the government.
He added the suspect was not a hardliner because Mr Wuthipong’s network members were all dead.
Pol Gen Srivara said the explosives found in the apartment were similar to those used in the attacks at Ratchaprasong intersection during the street protests in 2014.