One group suspected to be behind 2 Silom incidents
The two attacks on Silom Road near Lumpini Park, which killed two policemen on Friday night, were believed to be politically motivated, police said yesterday.
The shooting incident and a later bomb attack early on Saturday morning also left 12 other people injured.
The first attack occurred around 11pm in front of Krung Thai Bank near Soi Sala Daeng. Unknown assailants opened fire at a group of about 30 protesters who objected to the red-shirt demonstration, while several police stood by to provide security.
At 10.45pm, witnesses said they heard three firecracker explosions from Lumpini Park before the shooting began. The first bullet of pieced the bank's glass door and was followed by five rounds of shooting.
Two police and two civilians were hit. Police Corporal Kannupat Lertchanpen from Thung Mahamek precinct, suffered a serious stomach wound and died later in hospital.
Initial inquiries by police found that the assailants were likely to have fired from higher ground - on the Thai-Belgian Bridge - near the side with a McDonalds opposite the bank.
It was also reported that some people saw a green pick-up truck heading to Rama IV Road with assailants onboard carrying guns and opening fire in the area.
Later at 1.30am yesterday, three M79 grenades were fired at a checkpoint manned by police and soldiers near gate 4 at Lumpini Park opposite the Eau Cheu Liang Building, injuring five police.
Pol Sgt Wittaya Promsalee, from Chai Nat province, suffered chest wounds and was later pronounced dead at hospital.
Police spokesman Lt Gen Pongsatat Pongcharoen said the two attacks were probably done by the same group of people, apparently seeking to destabilise the situation. Pongsapat said the two officers killed would receive a five-step rank promotion and an eight-step pay increase (paid to their families).
Royal Thai Police adviser Pol Lt-Gen Panupong Singhara na Ayutthaya spoke to reporters at the Metropolitan Police Bureau yesterday after a two-hour meeting of investigators. He said assailants shot at people in front of the Krung Thai Bank with an M16 gun, while the explosives used in the Lumpini checkpoint attack shortly after were M79 grenades.
Police had some clues about the assailants from close-circuit cameras and testimony from witnesses, but needed to investigate the cases thoroughly so they could not give details now.
Asked if the attacks were politically motivated, he said there was no other motive. And, as the Lumpini Gate attack was aimed at police, it was suspected the assailants could be a group that had been prosecuted earlier.
He said acting national police chief Pratheep Tanprasert instructed investigators to carefully probe the cases and urged all officials to be careful. However, he declined to comment on whether the deaths would prompt them to allow police to carry weapons.
Forensic police investigated both scenes yesterday while the bodies of the two deceased were sent to the Forensic Medicine Institute at the Police Hospital for post-mortem examinations.
The wife of Sgt Wittaya, clothing vendor Rungnapa Promsalee, said they were married for 12 years but had no children. Just before the fatal attack, he called her to say he would be home soon to have a dinner with her.
A friend identified only as Saengpetch said Wittaya told him on the phone just prior to the attack that it was his last shift before returning to Chai Nat.
Kannupan's wife Banthita, who went to the morgue yesterday afternoon, said they had been married for several years and had one son together. She said she would host a funeral for him at Wat Bangchang Tai in Nakhon Pathom.