[Bangkok Post] Two men were handed life sentences for the double-bombing of a Big C Supercenter in Pattani province in May last year that wounded 56 people. The court on Thursday initially passed the death sentence on Suhaiming Sama-ae and Sama-ae Mama, and then commuted it to life because they confessed to the charges.Suhaiming and Sama-ae were convicted of involvement in the two bombings at Big C Supercenter in Muang district on May 9, 2017. Fortunately there were no fatalities, but 56 people were hurt.
Maj Gen Jatuporn Klamprasut, commander of the Pattani task force, said the two men had given useful information to police during interrogation. This led investigators to issue more arrest warrants, raising the number of suspects wanted for the bombing to nine.
On May 9 last year, the first bomb went off about near the food center inside the Big C building. The second followed shortly after outside the building, after shoppers and staff had left the premises in panic.
The second bomb was in a bag left in a pickup truck parked near the main entrance. The pickup used for the bomb outside the hypermarket had been stolen in Yala province.