Thai woman sought for housing bomb-making materials

A Thai identification portrait of a 26-year-old female suspect is shown in this Thai Royal Police handout released August 31, 2015. [Photo/Agencies]

BANGKOK -- Thai authorities are hunting for a Thai woman after bomb-making materials were found in her rented apartment in Bangkok's Min Buri district, police spokesman Prawut Thawornsiri said Monday.

Police searched the room at Maimuna Garden Home on Sunday, and seized a number of items that could be used to make bombs, including urea, six bottles of powder, electrical wiring, wristwatches and walkie talkie, Prawut said at a televised press briefing.

There is another male tenant whose nationality is yet to be determined, Prawut said, adding investigators are pursuing the two tenants, whose photos were also presented at the briefing.

The search was launched based on information gained from a foreign suspect arrested earlier at another apartment in Bangkok, where a large number of bomb-making materials and equipment, similar to those used in two recent bombing attacks, were seized, Bangkok Post quoted police sources as saying.

An explosion at Erawan Shrine in downtown Bangkok killed at least 20 people and injured more than 120 others, followed by another bombing at the Sathorn pier which caused no casualties.

Police were deployed to five areas to hunt down more suspects, deputy national police chief Chakthip Chaijinda said earlier, without giving further information.

The authorities have not concluded or ruled out any possible motive until all testimonies, evidence and forensic outcomes are in place to support and ensure that the investigation is conducted in a comprehensive manner, the coup-making National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) said in a statement on Monday.

The NCPO also called for the entrepreneurs and owners of apartments, guesthouses and accommodation buildings to inform the authorities at all times should they know of any suspicious person in their buildings.

The press was also asked to exercise increased caution when reporting news and avoid commenting or speculating without any grounds.