Footage shows moment man leaves backpack at Bangkok shrine minutes before deadly blast

Sebastian Mann19 August 2015

Footage has been released showing the main Bangkok bombing suspect dropping a backpack, just before the deadly blast that killed 22 people.

London law student Vivian Chan, 19, who had been travelling with friends in Thailand, was among the victims of the Erawan Shrine bombing, which has been called the worst attack in Thai history.

Today police issued an arrest warrant for a man in a yellow T-shirt captured on security video minutes before the explosion.

The footage shows the man taking off his large rucksack before placing it amid dozens of tourists milling around by the shrine.

Appeal: Police have offered £18,000 for help in tracing the suspect
AP

A few minutes later the explosion hit, injuring about 120 people in addition to the fatalities.

Police have also released a sketch of the suspect and offered a 1 million baht (£18,000) reward for help leading to the arrest of the man they believe carried out Monday's bombing.

National police spokesman Lt. Gen. Prawut Thavornsiri expressed uncertainty at a news conference about the man's origin. He said the suspect "looks like a foreigner" but "might have been in a disguise and wearing a fake nose" to conceal his identity.

Search: Police have also released a sketch of the suspect
Royal Thai Police/EPA

He said the security video appears to show two possible accomplices standing in front of the man. They are also being considered as suspects.

The open-air Erawan Shrine reopened to the public today, two days after the blast at one of the capital's busiest intersections during evening rush hour.

Meanwhile tributes continued to pour in to Ms Chan via a Facebook page set up in her honour. The Hong Kong-born Briton had been travelling in Thailand during the summer break from her studies at law at BPP University Law School's Waterloo campus, when she was caught in the blast at the Hindu shrine.

Caroline Scriven wrote: "Saying a prayer for you and your friend. Words cannot express my sadness."

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Charlie Robinson added: "Still feeling deeply saddened by what happened. I will always remember seeing you around the school and working in music rehearsals.

"Thank you for being so kind and friendly to me during my time in Hong Kong. You will be greatly missed and never forgotten."

Additional reporting by AP

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