Wanna Suansan was one of three individuals apprehended out of a total of 17 suspects linked to the bombing at this popular location, often frequented by Chinese tourists. The Bangkok Southern Criminal Court determined that there was insufficient evidence to directly associate her with the attack.
The other two suspects currently facing trial are ethnic Uyghurs, a Muslim minority group in China that has faced significant oppression. Both Wanna and the two Uyghurs are charged with various offenses including murder, attempted murder, and illegal possession of explosives.
The Uyghurs were arrested in the immediate aftermath of the bombing on August 17, 2015, while Wanna turned herself in to authorities in 2017 after returning to Thailand from Turkey, upon being named a suspect.
According to Thai officials, the bombing was reportedly retaliation from a human trafficking gang whose operations had been disrupted by a police crackdown. Earlier in 2015, Thailand had intensified its fight against human traffickers after discovering abandoned camps in the jungles along the Thai-Malaysian border, used by Rohingyas fleeing persecution from Myanmar and by Bangladeshi economic migrants.
Nevertheless, some analysts suggest that the attack may have been executed by Uyghur separatists, angered by Thailand’s decision to forcibly repatriate a number of Uyghurs back to China in July of that year. Many Uyghurs attempt to flee from oppression in China with the aid of professional smugglers, and the shrine’s popularity among Chinese visitors has led to speculation regarding a possible political motivation behind the bombing.
While the authorities have connected the two Uyghurs, Yusufu Mieraili and Bilal Mohammad, to the bombing through video evidence, DNA, and other materials, the evidence against Wanna was primarily circumstantial.
Wanna, aged 36, was accused of arranging accommodations for the bombers, with police claiming that gunpowder and other bomb-making substances were discovered in an apartment that was under her lease. However, the presiding judge stated that there was a lack of evidence proving that Wanna committed any criminal acts as charged.
The judge indicated that prosecutors failed to demonstrate that Wanna had been at the bombing scene, facilitated the other suspects’ arrival or their escape, and there was no proof that she had contact with them or assisted in acquiring the explosives found in the apartment. The judge also mentioned that it was plausible that Wanna was merely helping friends or acquaintances connected to her husband, who is Turkish, although the connection with the suspects had not been established.
Following the ruling, Wanna expressed her relief, stating, “Today the court acquitted the charges. I’m very happy. I’d like to thank the court because I had been waiting for this day for seven years since I returned.” She added that the prolonged period left her feeling hopeless, as it seemed like justice was not served, significantly affecting her family.
Meanwhile, Mieraili and Bilal, who are accused of being the main perpetrators of the bombing, have faced numerous delays in their legal proceedings due to challenges in securing appropriate translators. Their defense attorney, Chuchart Kanpai, indicated that their trial is currently still in the witness examination phase, with the next court date slated for March.
Both men had pleaded not guilty when their trial commenced in 2016, claiming they experienced mistreatment and torture while in custody. According to police reports, Mieraili is believed to have triggered the explosive device shortly after it was reportedly left at the shrine by Bilal, who is also known as Adem Karadag.