Broken security cameras and bogus tips are hampering the investigation into last week’s deadly Erawan shrine bombing, police said Monday.
Pol Gen Somyot Pumpunmuang said police trying to retrace the prime suspect's getaway route were trying to ''put pieces of the puzzle together'' but had to use their imagination to fill holes where street-side closed-circuit television cameras were broken and unable to record his movements.
"Sometimes there are 20 cameras on the street but only five work," The Associated press reported saying Monday, openly frustrated as he spoke to reporters. "We have to waste time putting the dots together."
Meanwhile, the German Press Agency said Pol Gen Somyot told the media that most of the call-ins to police hotlines have been untrue and made by people "who have bad motives."
Related: BMA hits back over blurry CCTV images
Police last week released an artist sketch of a prime suspect seen in CCTV footage leaving a rucksack at the Ratchprasong-area shrine 15 minutes before the explosion. Authorities initially offered a million-baht reward and then upped it to 3 million baht, inciting a flood of calls to tip lines.
One problem is that the CCTV images are blurry, particularly along his escape route.
A CCTV camera operated by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration is seen behind a K9 unit patrol at the site of last week’s Erawan shrine bombing. The BMA today hit back over criticism about the image quality of its cameras. (Photo by Pattarapong Chatpattarasill)
"The footage jumps around from one camera to another, and for the missing parts police have to use their imagination," he told the AP, adding that the Thai police lack the sophisticated equipment seen in popular American TV crime shows, like CSI.
"Have you seen CSI?" Pol Gen Somyot asked reporters. ''We don't have that,'' he said, referring to high-tech equipment that can render blurry footage clear.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha earlier suggested that police and Pol Gen Somyot should watch another show from US television network CBS, Blue Bloods, to help them with their investigation.
Pol Gen Somyot told DPA that police have placed orders for equipment that would help in the analysis of CCTV and camera footage. He also Thailand has "asked for cooperation from countries with better equipment and technology."
On Friday, Gen Prayut said that he had received offers of assistance from the US Embassy in Bangkok and had assigned his deputy ''to cooperate on borrowing equipment that includes facial-recognition technology.
However, the prime minister ruled out working with US investigators, insisting Thais can do the job.
But on Sunday, Pol Gen Somyot said that investigators will ''need some luck'' to catch the perpetrators whom are suspected to have already left the country.
The Aug. 17 bombing at the popular tourist resort killed 20 people - mostly foreign tourists - and injured 123. On Monday, the Erawan Medical Centre told DPA that a week after the bombings, 14 victims remain in intensive care.
Police say the motive for the attack remains unknown. They have left all possibilities open, but play down the possibility of an international terrorist network, which they say is unlikely. However, the arrest warrant for the bomber describes the suspect as a "foreign man".
In response, authorities conducted what police commissioner Sriwara Rangsipramanakul described to Reuters as a massive operation, searching 3,000 locales, covering everything from condominiums to seedy guesthouses.
"We haven't found any suspects with connection with the bombing at all," he said Sunday.
Addressing reporters, police spokesman Prawut Thavornsiri said investigators were exhausted.
"Look at my eyes; I haven't slept at all," he said. "My subordinates slept even less than me. We sleep at our desks. We've worked hard. This is not an easy case."
