3 charged over capital bombings in August

Prosecutors have indicted three men for their alleged involvement in a series of bombings in Bangkok and Nonthaburi in early August, a senior prosecutor said yesterday.

Pornchai Chonwanichkul, deputy director-general of the Department of Criminal Litigation, said the suspects were arraigned in the Criminal Court on Wednesday, about two weeks after police submitted their report to the prosecution.

According to Mr Pornchai, the Office of the Attorney-General reviewed the investigative report and decided to indict the suspects who have been detained at Bangkok Remand Prison since their arrest.

A source close to the case said Lu-ai Saengae, 22, Wildon Maha, 27, and Muhammad Sai, 27, face a total of 11 charges in connection with the bomb and arson attacks in Bangkok and Nonthaburi on Aug 1-2.

They pleaded not guilty when they appeared before the court on Thursday. The Criminal Court set Dec 16 for examination of evidence.

According to the source, police also accused another 18 people of being involved in the attacks, all of whom are still at large with warrants issued for their arrest.

The attacks took place as the city hosted a meeting of Asean foreign ministers which was also attended by diplomats from the United States, China and other world powers.

The blasts occurred at Chong Nonsi BTS station near the King Power Mahanakhon building, the Government Complex on Chaeng Watthana Road, the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters, and the Office of the Permanent Secretary for Defence in Nonthaburi’s Pak Kret district.

A security camera captured images of one of the men dropping a suspiciouslooking object near a fence outside the police headquarters on Rama I Road on Aug 1. The device was a time-bomb set to go off at 8am on Aug 2 but it was defused by bomb disposal officers.

This led to the arrests of Mr Lu-ai and Mr Wildon who were apprehended on an inter-provincial bus in Chumphon province on Aug 2.