World

Bangkok bomb suspects cleared by police

August 20, 2015 6:18 pm

Two men identified as suspects in the Bangkok bombing have been cleared of involvement, police say.

The pair were filmed by security cameras standing near the prime suspect in Monday’s blast at the Erawan Shrine, which killed 20 people.

A police spokesman said they were now satisfied the men – a Chinese tourist and his Thai guide – were not involved.

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The main suspect remains at large, but authorities told the BBC they believe he is still in Thailand.

Dozens of people were injured in the explosion, with some losing limbs.
Police had said that at least 10 people were suspected of involvement in the attack, and that their prime target was foreign.

The two former suspects, wearing red and white t-shirts, were captured standing in front of the main suspect, in yellow, as he left his backpack under a bench at the scene.

The footage led police to believe the pair may have been the attacker’s accomplices.

The footage led police to believe the pair may have been the attacker’s accomplices.

But one of the men “met police and was released”, according to police spokesman Prawut Thavornsiri.

He told them he had taken the Chinese man to the Erawan shrine on behalf of a mutual friend.

Earlier reports suggested both of the men had presented themselves for questioning.

But the Chinese national returned home a day after the bomb, Mr Thavornsiri said.

Neither were “likely involved”, he added.

Earlier on Thursday, Col Winthai Suvaree, a spokesman for the ruling military junta, said the preliminary conclusion was that it was “unlikely” the attack was the work of an international terror group.