‘Arab-like’ man seen leaving bag at Bangkok shrine before blast

BANGKOK, Thailand — A source has said that police are looking for a man with an “Arab look” who was seen leaving a bag at the Erawan shrine shortly before a massive blast Monday night.

According to the police source, the man was seen on a security camera sitting on a bench in the compound of the shrine after leaving his bag behind the bench.

After a while, he was seen standing and appeared to be dialing on a phone and walking fast from the area.

National police chief General Somyot Poompanmuang earlier said initial inquiries showed that an improvised explosive device was planted under a chair close to the fence of the Erawan Shrine. It was a 3kg TNT explosive with a capacity to damage a 100-metre area.

Somyot said he was not ruling out any possible motive for the attack.

Police spokesman Pol Lt-Gen Prawut Thavornsiri confirmed Tuesday morning that so far 20 people were dead and 125 injured in the blast happened at 6:55 pm Monday.

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