The bomb attack that killed 20 people at Bangkok’s Erawan shrine on Monday was carried out by a “network”, Thailand’s chief of police has said.
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Although the main suspect in the footage has not been identified, an arrest warrant for him has been issued by Bangkok’s Southern Criminal Court.
Police said the suspect’s possible background was unclear.
Police released a detailed sketch in an effort to catch the man on the video, who was seen wearing a yellow T-shirt and dark shorts entering the shrine with a backpack.
“We had collected all evidence which is why the crime scene was reopened”, said an explosive ordnance disposal expert with the Thai police who asked for his name to be withheld because he wasn’t authorised to talk to the media.
Prawut earlier released several photos of the man, with and without the backpack, on social media.
Local authorities have appealed for anyone with information surrounding the alleged bomber to come forward, offering a reward of one million Baht (the national currency) – equivalent to roughly AUD$40,000.
In a press conference police chief Somyot Pumpanmuang said that it was not yet clear how many people were involved in the attack or whether they were still in the country.
He added that there must be some Thai nationals involved, and officers are not certain that the man in the video is a foreigner and he could have been in disguise.
Prawut also gave a description of the suspected ethnicity of the alleged bomber, using the Thai phrase “khaek khao” – a word often used to describe light skinned Muslims from South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East.
The Thai prime minister, Prayut Chan-o-cha, on Tuesday vowed to expedite all investigative efforts to find perpetrators of the explosion and bring them to justice.
“The ongoing attempts at destruction might be politically motivated, targeting the economy, tourism for whatever reason”, the prime minister said Tuesday in a televised address”.
But authorities said they were certain that the man seen in the video was responsible.
The open-air Erawan Shrine reopened to the public Wednesday, two days after the explosion tore through the area killing at least 20 people – including foreigners – and wounding more than 120 injured.
A man prays at the Erawan Shrine at Rajprasong intersection in Bangkok, Thailand, Wednesday, August 19, 2015.
Mr Prayuth told reporters the man must have been hired to plant the bomb. “Officials will work out legal solutions to guarantee their safety”, he told the Bangkok Post.
Police also noted that the suspect had material wrapped around both of his forearms, which they say could indicate he had previously sustained some kind of injury.
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The centre said that 12 people died at the site of the bombing while 8 more died in hospital.
