Bangkok bomber ‘part of terror network’

The pair got up from a bench at the Erawan shrine just before the suspected bomber sat down, later leaving his backpack behind.

“They may be doing it for a political motive or to undermine the economy or tourism or for other reasons”, he said.

Three minutes later a bomb explodes in that exact spot.

Police have released a sketch of the suspect, who’s described as a dark-haired man with glasses and light facial hair.

At a news conference, Prawut expressed uncertainty about the man’s origin, saying the suspect “looks like a foreigner” but “might have been in a disguise and wearing a fake nose” to hide his identity.

– Is the bomber acting alone?

“He had white skin and must have been a European or have mixed blood, perhaps with Middle Eastern blood”, police spokesman Prawut Thawornsiri said in a statement.

Lt Gen Prawut told reporters police would continue to scrutinise closed-circuit TV footage of the area from before the blast for clues about suspects. “We believe there must be people helping him, Thai people“. “He can’t just buy the bomb in a market and then place it”.

Prawut also said that Thai police had asked Interpol for help.

– Who has suspicion fallen on?

The main suspect may have left the country, police said earlier Thursday, adding that they were “unsure” of his whereabouts.

Authorities were still struggling to identify seven of the dead.

Thai resident Sunee Tangsakul says: “When I came here…”

Police also said that the attack was carefully planned by a network of more than 10 people.

But there are no indications Muslim rebels have suddenly taken their localised fight beyond southern Thailand.

This appeared to be aimed at countering accusations run by some sections of the Thai media that militants representing the ethnic Chinese Uighur minority had carried out the attack. Chinese authorities have blamed Uighurs for a series of attacks inside China, most of which have been knife assaults.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha initially said the attack was Thailand’s problem and should be resolved internally.

Nationals from Hong Kong, the UK, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore were also among the foreigners killed in the attack. They are good, friendly and generous people.

Analysts have speculated about a wide range of groups – including opponents of military rule in the country or a rogue faction in the army or police – but there is so far no evidence to link the attack with any of them.

A woman pays respects at the Erawan Shrine at Rajprasong…

Two men who were seen on CCTV minutes before the Bangkok bomb blast have handed themselves in and been cleared by Thai police.

Jangling nerves in the city on Tuesday, a small explosive was thrown from a bridge towards a river pier, sending a plume of water into the air, but no one was hurt. No one was harmed.

The two are described by police as persons of interest.

“After assessing the situation, I think Bangkok might be safer after the bomb”, one Chinese tourist told Al Jazeera.