Bomb experts examine debris from blast, police hunt for suspects, over 100 casualties reported

BANGKOK, August 18 (TNA) - Bomb experts have been carefully examining debris, police have been hunting for suspects and over 100 casualties have been reported so far, following a powerful bomb blast in central Bangkok on Monday night Police investigators reported on Tuesday that the explosive, which blew off at about 7pm local time (1200 GMT) Monday, killing at least 20 people and injuring about 120 others so far, was left under a bench beside the low fence near the respected Brahmin statue standing next to the Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok Hotel at the Ratchaprasong Intersection in the heart of the capital. Deputy National Police Chief Police General Chakthip Chaichinda, who is responsible for security affairs, told journalists that combined government forces--who have been at the scene to examine debris left by the powerful bomb--could comfortably see evidence better than Monday night due to sunlight. Police investigators told reporters that the iron fence of the shrine was virtually damaged, along with front glass windows of the Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok Hotel and trees planted in front of the hotel were blackened. A witness told police that he saw a group of suspicious-looking people at the scene shortly before the powerful bomb exploded. Police had sealed off several roads linking the Ratchaprasong Intersection until noon, causing a traffic snarl in central Bangkok earlier in the day. But BTS, Bangkok's skytrains have, meanwhile, operated as usual, while groups of people were seen at the scene to observe damages with their own eyes. National Police Chief Police General Somyot Pumpanmuang, who again went to the scene of the bomb attack, said that the Metropolitan Police Bureau has set up a centre to resolve the case, in which biography of bombers who were released or being imprisoned are being screened by officers carefully. According to the national police chief, Monday’s bomb blast took place about two weeks after the Chinese Embassy in Bangkok requested the Royal Thai Police to provide extra security to Chinese tourists while visiting the Kingdom. The Brahmin statue at the Erawan shrine is one of main attractions for Chinese tourists visiting Bangkok. (TNA)