A Chinese man alleged by police to be the mastermind of Friday’s failed gun shop holdup in Bangkok has denied knowing the other four suspects, three of whom were arrested earlier after one was shot dead.
Police arrested Yang Zheng, 30, on a Chiang Mai-bound train at the Nakhon Sawan railway station at 2.30am on Saturday, Thai media reported.
Mr Yang admitted to police that he was the man in a photo posted online after Friday's incident, but he insisted he did not know those involved in the robbery attempt. He is being held for further interrogation.
Four Chinese men tried to rob a gun shop in Wang Burapha Phirom area using BB guns and knives shortly before noon on Friday. The shop owner fought back and police later shot three of the robbers, one of whom died later in hospital. The fourth suspect was arrested nearby.
During the interrogation, the suspects implicated Mr Yang as the gang leader, saying he had fled after the holdup attempt went wrong.
Pol Maj Bovornpop Sunthornlekha, chief investigator at the Tourism Police Divison sub-division 1, said Mr Yang had fled to the Hua Lamphong railway station and boarded an overnight train to Chiang Mai. Carrying a backpack containing his clothes and personal items, he was believed to be preparing to leave the country via the northern border.
A police investigation found that the five Chinese nationals entered Thailand on Feb 27. One of them plotted the robbery and surveyed the targeted shop before the other four carried out the attempt, according to Thai media reports.
The five suspects were Mr Yang, 30; Sun Junwei, 27; Ma Geng, 34; Li Kunpeng, 26; and Wu Xingjun, 40, who was shot dead by police.
The detention and investigation of Mr Yang does not mean the case is closed, police chief Chakthip Chaijinda said on Saturday after joining the questioning.
Pol Gen Chakthip had said on Friday that investogators were not ruling out any causes, including terrorism. However, on Saturday he modified his view.
"We initially believe this is not the work of terrorists and it has nothing to do with the Uighur Chinese," he said.
The reference was to Uighur men facing charges in connection with the bombing that killed 20 people at the Erawan Shrine in Bangkok last August.
Police are checking Mr Yang's escape route to determine whether any Thai was involved in the plot, said Pol Gen Chakthip. He added that officers were are confident the existing evidence was enough to charge the men.
Police are still looking for more proof, including radio communication devices allegedly dropped into Khlong Phadung Krung Kasem near the Hua Lamphong train station, he said.
Police still have doubts about the suspects' statements, especially about their planned escape route, the sources of the arms used in the robbery attempt, as well as the intended use for the weapons they were trying to steal, according to Post Today.
Police on Saturday took two of the suspects, Mr Ma and Mr Li, to the Inter Arms shop at the Sam Yod Plaza in Wang Burapha Phirom area of Phra Nakhon district for a crime re-enactment. A motorcycle, BB guns and knives seized from the gang were also taken for the re-enactment.
The Criminal Court later on Saturday approved the detention for 12 days of Mr Ma, Mr Li and Mr Sun. They were then taken to Bangkok Special Prison. Suspects can be held for seven periods of 12 days each, or 84 days in total, before charges are formally laid.
Mr Yang will be taken to court on Monday for a hearing on his detention.
Police point out the spot where suspect Yang Zheng (left) reportedly dropped a gun in a canal near Hua Lamphong station. (Photo by Pattarapong Chatpattarasill)