NEW YEAR BLASTS / SEACON SQUARE PHOTOS

Police decide not to charge look-alike pair

WASSAYOS NGAMKHAM

Police have decided not to press charges against two men arrested earlier in connection with the New Year bombings due to a lack of strong evidence.

Pradya Prichavej, 33, and Yutapong Kitisriworapan, 32, were detained last month because they looked like suspects in the footage obtained from a surveillance camera at Seacon Square shopping centre, one of nine locations bombed in Bangkok and neighbouring Nonthaburi at New Year.

The police earlier said they had strong evidence to seek arrest warrants for the two from the Criminal Court. But after a two-hour meeting among investigators yesterday, they changed their tone.

"This doesn't mean we're changing our positions back and forth," said deputy national police chief Patcharawat Wongsuwan, brushing aside questions over the credibility of the police investigation.

The police investigated the case further and eventually found insufficient evidence to charge the men, he explained.

The men last week told the court police had confirmed they were the men in the photos, but not necessarily the bombers.

Police admitted the photos were not clear, but said they examined them carefully before asking for the arrest warrants. Pol Gen Patcharawat yesterday denied the warrants, which did not specify the names of the suspects, reflected mistakes in the police investigation.

"The two men still aren't considered innocent. We just don't have enough evidence and can't charge them," he said.

Acting national police chief Seripisuth Temiyavej yesterday lost his cool when asked to comment on whether the decision would affect the public's trust in the police investigation.

"Please don't cite the people. How many of their opinions have you sought?" he said to the Bangkok Post.

Meanwhile, permanent secretary for justice Jarun Pukditanakul yesterday asked the two men not to file a lawsuit against the National Police Office.

He said it was not necessary to do so because the event had caused no serious damage. The men need not feel bad _ it was the police who had to be ashamed, he added
The police earlier issued arrest warrants for bomb suspects at Saphan Khwai intersection and Major Ratchayothin Cineplex, using footage from surveillance cameras as core evidence.

The photos at these two locations were clearer, Pol Gen Patcharawat said, and many people, including bounty hunters, have kept police updated with additional clues as to the identities of the suspects.

Bangkok Post
Tuesday April 03, 2007