Erawan Bombing Verdict
Thai Court Sentences Two Uyghur Men to Death for 2015 Erawan Shrine Bombing
Key Points
After the verdict, Yusufu Mieraili refused to accept it—reportedly shouting inside the courtroom that he disagreed, mourning “the loss of justice,” and insisting he did not commit the crime.
Investigators said CCTV showed a man in a yellow shirt placing a bag—believed to contain the explosive device—on a bench inside the Erawan Shrine compound before it was triggered; police later determined the device contained roughly 3 kilogrammes of TNT. A second device reportedly exploded the following day at Sathorn Pier but caused no casualties.
Police arrests happened in close succession after the bombing: Karadag was arrested on Aug. 29, 2015—“just under two weeks” after the attack—at an apartment in Bangkok’s Nong Chok district, and Mieraili was detained later (with both men among more than 17 people implicated in the case).
The trial lasted almost 11 years and generated extensive documentation: testimony came from more than 400 prosecution witnesses and more than 45 defense witnesses, and the case file reportedly exceeded 10,000 pages of documents.
Critics cited specific problems raised early in the investigation: the BBC reported that Thai police initially said neither defendant matched the person who planted the bomb, later charged Bilal Mohammed despite his “little resemblance” to the video-identified figure, and issued arrest warrants for 13 other people some of whom had already left the country. The BBC also described a “bizarre twist” in which police offered a $80,000 reward for tips leading to the culprits, then (according to the report) awarded it to themselves after securing their first two suspects while acknowledging many remained at large.
A Bangkok court sentenced two Uyghur men to death on June 11, 2026, for the Aug. 17, 2015 bombing of the Erawan Shrine — one of Thailand's most sacred sites. The blast killed 20 people and injured more than 120 during peak evening hours at the Ratchaprasong intersection, according to Reuters.
The South Bangkok Criminal Court found Bilal Mohammed and Yusufu Mieraili guilty of premeditated murder. The court found no grounds for mitigation. Upon hearing the verdict, Mieraili shouted from the courtroom: "I did not do it! This is the loss of justice!" Both men plan to appeal, according to ABC News.
A Bomb, a Yellow Shirt, and 11 Years in Court
CCTV footage showed a man in a yellow shirt placing a bag at the Erawan Shrine compound just before the explosion. Police determined the device held roughly 3 kilograms of TNT. A second device was thrown near Sathorn Pier the following day — it landed in the water and caused no casualties, according to WTOP.
Bilal Mohammed was arrested on Aug. 29, 2015 — less than two weeks after the attack — at an apartment in Bangkok's Nong Chok district. Police found bomb-making materials and dozens of fake Turkish passports. Yusufu Mieraili was detained shortly after at the Thai-Cambodian border. The trial dragged on for nearly 11 years, drawing testimony from more than 400 prosecution witnesses and over 45 defense witnesses, with a case file exceeding 10,000 pages, according to The Record.
Critics Point to a Messy Investigation From the Start
The case has faced serious scrutiny since day one. Thai authorities power-washed the Erawan Shrine and reopened it within 48 hours of the blast. Critics, including foreign forensics experts, argued this wiped out key DNA evidence. The government said it was necessary to "restore confidence," according to ABC News.
The BBC reported that Thai police initially said neither defendant matched the man seen on video planting the bomb. Police later charged Bilal Mohammed despite what the BBC described as his "little resemblance" to the figure in the footage. In a further twist, police posted an $80,000 reward for tips leading to the culprits — then awarded it to themselves after making their first two arrests, while acknowledging many suspects remained at large.
Uyghur Deportations Set a Volatile Backdrop
The bombing came just one month after Thailand forcibly deported 109 Uyghur men back to China in July 2015. The move drew condemnation from the United Nations and sparked violent protests at Thai consulates abroad. Security analyst Anthony Davis of IHS Jane's suggested the attack may have been retaliation, noting that the Erawan Shrine — popular with Chinese tourists — was a "symbolic target," according to WTOP.
Thai police pushed a different theory: that the bombing was revenge by a human-trafficking gang whose operations had been disrupted. Critics called this framing an attempt to avoid the political fallout of linking the attack to the Uyghur deportations. No group ever claimed responsibility. China's government has rejected any suggestion its policies in Xinjiang played a role.
Torture Claims and an Alleged Mastermind Still at Large
Both defendants have maintained their innocence throughout. Bilal Mohammed's lawyer said his client is a "scapegoat" who was tortured with "cold water and physical assault" during early detention to produce a confession. Human Rights Watch criticized the entire 11-year process, stating that "justice delayed is justice denied" and warning that reliance on potentially coerced confessions shadows the verdict, according to ABC News.
A key suspect identified by Thai authorities — named Abdugheni Rezhebu, believed to be a mastermind — fled Thailand before any arrests were made and remains at large. More than 13 arrest warrants were issued for other suspects, several of whom had already left the country by the time warrants were filed, according to The Record.
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