No one has claimed responsibility for the attack, nor has a motive emerged.
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Police released images showing the man, who appeared young and slightly built, and wearing a yellow T-shirt and dark shorts, walking into the shrine with a backpack. “We need more evidence before we can make any conclusions”, Somyat told a news conference, adding that police were studying more than 10 days’ worth of video footage from the area, CNN said.
Barnes said it wasn’t immediately clear just how bad the attack was, but officials have since said at least 20 people, including 11 foreigners, died.
Later, he updated his followers, assuring them he was was being well looked after by the police and that he could not possibly be the yellow-shirted bombing suspect because “I would never wear those clothing – I’m a fashion blogger”.
He later posted on Instagram stills of CCTV footage he said showed his whereabouts yesterday.
The junta, which seized power from the elected government of Yingluck Shinawatra in May last year, is facing mounting resistance from some parts of the population because of restrictions on civil liberties.
National police spokesman Prawut Thavorn said the man left the scene aboard a motorcycle taxi, which are common in Bangkok, and the blast occurred three minutes later.
“Those who were responsible for this attack must be identified and brought to justice“, Foreign Minister Alexandre Giorgini said.
More concerned with victims and the wider effects on Thailand than his escape – “the Thai people are attractive people and we send all our love out to them in this time of great pain” – Barnes concluded his message with a wider message for everyone else.
National police chief Somyot Pumpanmuang said the suspect could be Thai or foreign, but said finding evidence was hard. Security video showed a sudden blast of water over a walkway at the pier as bystanders ran for safety. It happened after someone dropped an explosive device off the King Taksin Bridge.
Bangkok has been relatively peaceful since the military coup after several months of sometimes violent protests against the previous government. If it passes, it is supposed to go to a public referendum around January.
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Less than 24 hours after the rush-hour blast, some tour operators to Thailand were already reporting cancellations and Hong Kong issued a “red alert” travel advisory warning against non-essential travel. “Our honeymoon and our vacation will go on, but with a very unsafe feeling”.
