15 detained over Thai tourist town attacks

AFP, BANGKOK: Thailand’s junta on Thursday detained at least 15 suspects at military barracks on suspicion of launching a string of deadly bomb and arson attacks against tourist resort towns last week.
No one has claimed responsibility for the bombing spree, which hit tourist towns in the country’s south last Thursday and Friday, killing four and wounding dozens, including European visitors.
The attacks were highly unusual in a country where foreign visitors and tourist towns are rarely caught up in the country’s frequent bouts of political violence.
Investigators have been under huge pressure to make quick arrests. Tourism accounts for as much as 10 percent of Thailand’s GDP and is one of the kingdom’s few economic bright spots under junta rule.
On Thursday, investigators confirmed they had detained multiple suspects.
“Authorities have detained 17 suspects at the special 11th Army Circle barracks in Bangkok but we released two of them,” Colonel Burin Tongprapai, the junta’s top legal advisor, told reporters on Thursday.
He added that authorities were now looking to re-detain those two released suspects and that the entire group were likely to be charged on Friday.
Colonel Burin’s comments highlight the primary role the military have played in the investigation and is the first official admission that scores of suspects have been held since the bombings on army barracks.
Local human rights groups had previously said more than a dozen suspects were being held without access to lawyers and called for greater transparency in the investigation.
Thailand is currently ruled by the military, which seized power in 2014 and awarded themselves widespread powers to hold suspects.
 Authorities have remained tight-lipped on the motive of the attackers behind last week’s attack or the identities of anyone detained.
But police and the military quickly ruled out international terrorism, saying the perpetrators were “local saboteurs”.
The assaults struck on the Queen’s birthday—a national holiday—just days after a controversial military-crafted constitution was passed in a referendum vote where independent campaigning was banned.
A number of analysts say the most likely culprits are therefore Islamist militants who have fought a lengthy but local insurgency in Thailand’s three southernmost provinces.

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15 detained over Thai tourist town attacks

AFP, BANGKOK: Thailands junta on Thursday detained at least 15 suspects at military barracks on suspicion of launching a string of deadly bomb and arson attacks against tourist resort towns last week. No one has claimed responsibility for the bombing spree, which hit tourist towns in the countrys south last Thursday and Friday, killing four and wounding dozens, including European visitors. The attacks were highly unusual in a country where foreign visitors and tourist towns are rarely caught up in the countrys frequent bouts of political violence. Investigators have been under huge pressure to make quick arrests. Tourism accounts for as much as 10 percent of Thailands GDP and is one of the kingdoms few economic bright spots under junta rule. On Thursday, investigators confirmed they had detained multiple suspects. Authorities have detained 17 suspects at the special 11th Army Circle barracks in Bangkok but we released two of them, Colonel Burin Tongprapai, the juntas top legal advisor, told reporters on Thursday. He added that authorities were now looking to re-detain those two released suspects and that the entire group were likely to be charged on Friday. Colonel Burins comments highlight the primary role the military have played in the investigation and is the first official admission that scores of suspects have been held since the bombings on army barracks. Local human rights groups had previously said more than a dozen suspects were being held without access to lawyers and called for greater transparency in the investigation. Thailand is currently ruled by the military, which seized power in 2014 and awarded themselves widespread powers to hold suspects. Authorities have remained tight-lipped on the motive of the attackers behind last weeks attack or the identities of anyone detained. But police and the military quickly ruled out international terrorism, saying the perpetrators were local saboteurs. The assaults struck on the Queens birthdaya national holidayjust days after a controversial military-crafted constitution was passed in a referendum vote where independent campaigning was banned. A number of analysts say the most likely culprits are therefore Islamist militants who have fought a lengthy but local insurgency in Thailands three southernmost provinces. T