Suspicions focused on one man as investigators picked through the wreckage of the powerful bomb blast that brought death and destruction to a popular shrine in the Thai capital.
Police said Tuesday they are hunting for a suspect seen in CCTV footage who they believe is connected to the bombing, which ripped through crowds gathered near the Erawan Shrine on Monday evening, killing at least 22 people and reportedly injuring about 120.
In one CCTV image released by police, the man carries a dark-colored backpack near the shrine. In another, he no longer has the backpack. He's wearing a yellow T-shirt and dark-framed glasses.
Royal Thai Police Commissioner Gen. Somyot Poompanmoung said authorities don't yet know the man's identity or whether he is Thai or a foreigner.
At a later news conference, police spokesman Lt. Gen. Prawut Thavornsiri said authorities were "very sure" the man in the yellow shirt was the bomber.The commissioner said the man sat down at 6:52 p.m. local time (7:52 a.m. ET) Monday and hid the backpack underneath a bench.
Investigators believe he likely left a pipe bomb.
The shrine, situated at a bustling intersection near a large shopping mall, is a big draw for tourists. At least seven people from other Asian countries were reported to be among the dead as well as one Briton. The site is popular among Buddhists as well as Hindu and Sikh members of Thailand's Indian community.From this incident, it is apparent that there are active individuals or groups that harbor the intention to damage Thailand, who may be pursuing political gain or other intentions by damaging the economy and tourism," Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said.
Adding to the jitters, a new explosion was heard Tuesday at a pier on the Chao Phraya River that flows through Bangkok, police told CNN. No injuries were reported and the pier has been closed, said Prawut.
It was unclear whether the two blasts were connected.
But the second explosion was caused by the same type of bomb as the earlier one, Prawut told reporters late Tuesday.
Police are looking into the possibility that Tuesday's blast happened when someone on a motorcycle threw a bomb toward the pier, he said.
The second bomb fell into the water, he said.
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