Bangkok blast: Thai police get $118,000 reward in probe

Policemen stand in the courtyard of the compound where they had detained a suspect in the Aug 17 Bangkok shrine bombing, in a Bangkok suburb on Aug 29, 2015. PHOTO: AFP

BANGKOK (THE NATION/AISA NEWS NETWORK) - Thai police will reward the investigative team that helped find the Bangkok bombing suspect with a cash bounty that had been offered to the public.

The 3 million baht (S$118,000) offered for information leading to the capture of any bombing suspects would be given to the police team, Police Chief Somyot Poompanmouang told reporters on Monday.

He said that it was the diligence and hard work of the police that led to the capture of the suspect last Saturday. It is unclear whether the landlady who owned the apartment where the suspect was captured and phoned in her suspicions will receive any money.

Army Chief Udomdej Sitabutr told reporters on Monday that the suspect had revealed to army interrogators the name of three accomplices. Udomdej said the suspect in custody was interrogated in a "gentle and cautious way".

"The army had earlier said they would not reveal the nationality of the suspect because the government did not want to damage international relations. Police spokesman Prawut Thavornsiri said that the expanded investigation has led to several searches of properties in Bangkok.

One search found bomb making material at an apartment not far from where the first suspect was captured. Among the seized material was black powder, fertiliser, fuses, timers and a remote control car.

Prawut also showed pictures of two new suspects that had been renting the property, an unidentified Asian man and a Thai woman shownwearing a hijab.

Warrants have been issued for the arrest of both. An explosion in Bangkok on Aug 17 killed 20 people and injured over 130 more.

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