Prawit rules out BRN attacks link
The bomb and arson attacks in seven provinces earlier this month were not the work of the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN), according to Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon.
He said the government team leading the peace talks with the Mara Patani umbrella insurgent group, which includes the BRN, had told him the insurgent group was not behind the Aug 10-12 attacks.
The attacks took place in the central province of Prachuap Khiri Khan’s Hua Hin district and the southern provinces of Krabi, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phangnga, Phuket, Surat Thani and Trang. His remarks came after police refused to rule out the possibility that the influential Wadah political group and separatist elements of the BRN and Patani Liberation Organisation group were responsible.
Gen Prawit said police needed more time before they could say who did it. A surveillance camera captured an image of some of the attackers who appeared to be young.
Meanwhile, the Military Court at the 41st Army Circle yesterday rejected a request by the police team investigating the attacks for an arrest warrant for a 32-year-old Chiang Mai man suspected of being involved in an arson attack in Nakhon Si Thammarat.
The court dismissed the request lodged by deputy national police chief Srivara Ransibrahmanakul, who leads the team, arguing the suspect, Sakarin Karuehas, poses no flight risk, said Pol Gen Srivara.
Pol Gen Srivara conceded police were now focusing more on new suspects in the Nakhon Si Thammarat arson case. Police are seeking warrants for their arrest.
Pol Col Srivara said witnesses heard one suspected attacker speak a “foreign” language although police thought the attacker might have faked this to mislead investigators.
Investigators had found no link to members of the so-called Revolutionary Front for Democracy Party, detained recently, and the attacks, he said.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said money left over after compensating victims of the Erawan shrine blasts on Aug 17 last year will be spent on paying victims of the latest attacks.