BANGKOK, June 1 — Investigators from the Metropolitan Police Bureau in the Thai capital are inspecting the scene and combing through closed-circuit television footage for possible images of the bomber who hurled an explosive device into the Rajdamnoen Road rally site of the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD), the Yellow Shirts, wounding two.
Led by Deputy National Police Chief Pol Gen Panupong Singhara Na Ayutthaya, the metro police bomb squad inspected the scene at a bridge parallel to Makkawan Rangsan Bridge where the PAD stage is the focus of protest against the government on its handling of the conflict with Cambodia.
The bridge is on the same side of the road as the Ministry of Education compound.
The mangled remains of a black and white motorcycle destroyed by the blast were found at the scene and a damaged ice cream pushcart was nearby. Police found a bomb trigger believed to be part of an M26 hand grenade on the road.
Initial reports said two were wounded from the explosion; an ice cream seller whose right leg was broken and remains hospitalised, and another person who was slightly injured and has gone home.
Witnesses said an assailant with a black jacket and safety helmet drove a white motorcycle to the scene before hurling the bomb backstage at about 10.30pm before fleeing.
The bomb fell some 10 metres from the stage.
The owner of the destroyed motorcycle said he came to the rally and parked his motorcycle just 15 minutes before the bomb exploded. He believed the incident was not personal as he has never had any conflict with anyone.
Metropolitan Police Chief Pol Lt Gen Chakthip Chaichinda called a meeting of police at 10am to hunt the bomber and deployed more police at the rally site for better security. (MCOT online news)
