The suspect in question had stayed in the Nong Chok area of Bangkok, the same as another man arrested in connection with the bombing during a Saturday raid that found hundreds of fake passports alongside explosives like TNT and C4.
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Earlier this week, an arrest warrant was issued for Suansan, whose name was on the lease of an apartment where bomb-making materials were found during a raid over the weekend. They seized more than 200 passports at the apartment, including many that appeared to be Turkish and possibly fake.
“He speaks Turkey’s language”, incoming Thai police chief General Chaktip Chaijinda told reporters, without specifying whether the language was Turkish or part of the wider Turkic family.
Many Uighurs transit through South-east Asia to try and get to Turkey, which has a large diaspora of Uighurs.
Police had initially said a second explosion at a Bangkok pier on Tuesday that caused no injuries may also be linked, deepening fears for residents of their safety.
Thai authorities have been looking into a possible Turkish connection.
They also took fingerprints from the apartment, which turned out to match those of the suspect arrested Tuesday at the border with Cambodia, Prawut said.
Thai police have two men in custody for the August. 17 bombing.
Hypothesis has grown that the suspect could be a part of a gaggle in search of to avenge Thailand’s pressured repatriation of ethnic Uighurs to China in July. The Erawan Shrine is particularly fashionable with Chinese language vacationers, feeding the concept it might be a goal for individuals who consider the Uighurs are oppressed by China’s authorities.
National police spokesman Prawut Thavornsiri said investigators believe the suspect is “an important person in the network” behind the bombing, Thailand’s worst single mass-casualty attack.
The wanted man, whose face is shown in a police sketch with short brown hair and a light beard and mustache, is believed to have lived in the apartment rented by the woman, said Prawuth, adding that his nationality is not known.
Police spokesman Lt Gen Prawut Thawornsiri said he is confident that some Thais were involved.
He said Thai officials will request formal nationality verification from the countries of origin once their identities are established.
Thailand’s army chief and defense minister left for a three-day visit to China on Wednesday but said it was a scheduled trip unrelated to the investigation.
Meanwhile, police are asking the public for help in locating another man, wearing a blue shirt, and seen on surveillance footage taking a photo of a friend at the shrine.
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“From this incident, it is apparent that there are active individuals or groups that harbor the intention to damage Thailand, who may be pursuing political gain or other intentions by damaging the economy and tourism”, says Gen. Prayuth Chan Ocha, Thai Prime Minister.
