Thai police arrest foreign suspect in Bangkok bombing

‘ Dozens of passports’ found in apartment

Thailand authorities arrested a foreign suspect Saturday in the nation’s deadliest bomb attack that killed 20 people nearly two weeks ago in Bangkok.

The 28- year- old man was arrested Saturday on the outskirts of the capital, police spokesman Prawuth Thavornsiri said during a news conference Saturday.

Officials did not release his name but showed photographs of the suspect. Prawuth said police found evidence of bombmaking materials and dozens of passports in the man’s apartment.

The Aug. 17 blast at the Erawan Shrine left 20 dead and more than 120 injured. A second bomb detonated a day later, but there were no reports of injuries.

“Our preliminary investigation shows that he is related to both bombings,” Prawuth said. The suspect is a foreigner, but officials declined to say which country he is from. “We found dozens of passports. ... We have to check which nationalities they belong to,” police Deputy Chief Chakthip Chaijinda said, according to the Bangkok Post.

Chakthip said it is not clear whether the man detained is the one seen wearing a yellow shirt and leaving a backpack under a bench before the shrine explosion. Police have said they believe more than one person carried out the attack. “He didn’t do it alone,” national police Chief Somyot Poompanmoung said.

DARIO PIGNATELLI, BLOOMBERG Thai police and law enforcement look over the balcony of an apartment block while the suspect in the bombing is detained.

THAI POLICE VIA EPA Unnamed suspect