Lt Thawatchai Klinchana, who was arrested on the morning of August 24 in a Daewoo sedan loaded with explosive devices, parked under Bang Plad intersection bridge not far from the prime minister's residence. However he has denied assassination charges and claimed that he was only hired for Bt200 by someone to pick up the car, which was already parked there.

 Lt-Colonel Manas Sukprasert of Lopburi's Special Warfare Centre, assigned temporarily to the Internal Security Operations Command, was arrested on September 5. He allegedly prepared the bomb and is also believed to be the one who carried the bomb's remote control. Commando police from the Crime Suppression Division found fertiliser and sand at his house. Police said the fertiliser was the same type used in the car-bomb plot against Thaksin. Manas has denied all charges and has chosen to give testimony in a trail at court.

Colonel Surapol Supradit, assigned temporarily to the Internal Security Operations Command, allegedly went to buy the Daewoo at a second-hand car dealer in the Intamara area. He was allegedly seen not far from the scene of the car bomb to command the assassination attempt. Surapol has denied all charges.

Sergeant Chakrit Jantara, or Sergeant Yak (Giant), assigned temporarily to the Internal Security Operations Command, surrendered to police on September 6 after fleeing from Commando Police who raided his condominium on August 29. Chakrit was Col Surapol's driver and is believed to have played an important role in the assassination plot by surveying the route and paying Bt30,000 for the Daewoo, then taking delivery of it, from a second-hand car dealer. According to police, Chakrit confessed to all charges, "which is very useful for the case". Chakrit said he was ordered by "a boss" to pay for the Daewoo and take the car for repainting in a bronze colour at a garage in Ratchada, before driving it to the Army airport on August 9 or 10, the same day the Prime Minister's motorcade had an accident at the location.

Maj-General Phairoj Theerapharb, who was assigned temporarily to Internal Security Operations Command, went to see police yesterday. He is believed to have been seen not far from the car-bomb scene with Surapol and Manas, and played important role in commanding the operation. Phairoj has denied all charges.

The five people have been charged with attempting to murder Thaksin, on-duty officials and others; unlawful possession of explosives; unlawful possession of war materials; forging and using official documents; and criminal conspiracy.

Gathering evidence from the Daewoo sedan with the false license plate Thor Chor 3085 Bangkok, driven by Thawatchai, police have found links to another two suspects, Sergeant Chakrit and Colonel Surapol. The police found Colonel Surapol paid Bt30,000 for the car at a second-hand car dealer Moo Car at Soi Intamara 38 and Sergeant Chakrit later took the car from the dealer.

Police however have not revealed the evidence they say connects Lt-Colonel Manas to constructing the bomb, and along with Maj-General Phairoj, commanding the operation. Also, the mastermind of the plot to murder the prime minister has yet to be unmasked.

The Nation