'I thought there was a power failure, I didn't know what was happening,' said Mr Thong (right, with his wife). -- ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN
A SINGAPOREAN project manager who stayed at Jakarta's Ritz-Carlton hotel may have seen the suicide bomber behind the Friday blast there.
Mr Thomas Thong recalled seeing a man in a dark jacket entering the hotel's buffet breakfast area that day, just minutes before a bomb exploded in the restaurant.
The 52-year-old, who had arrived in Jakarta on Thursday for a two-day business trip, said he had noticed the man who was carrying a backpack.
Mr Thong was then having breakfast alone at the restaurant at about 7.50am.
'I was thinking, why would someone carry a bag around to eat breakfast?' said Mr Thong who works for Philips Healthcare.
Recalling the incident from Raffles Hospital, where he was warded after he was flown back on Saturday morning, he said that after the man entered the restaurant, he was ushered to a table at a corner.
But he looked like he wanted to change his seat. 'He stood up and walked past my table to the back of the restaurant. A few minutes later, he reappeared and began walking towards the exit.'
Seconds later, a bomb went off in the eatery, blowing out its large glass windows. Parts of the ceiling also collapsed.
Mr Thong, who was seated at the centre of the restaurant, recalled seeing some sparks before the lights went off.
'I thought there was a power failure, I didn't know what was happening.'
