BANGKOK — Thai police said Wednesday a prime suspect in Bangkok's deadly bombing has admitted to being near the shrine where the attack took place but denied placing the bomb, as other clues pointed increasingly to a link with the trafficking of a minority ethnic group from China via Thailand.
Thai authorities said the suspect's fingerprints also matched those on a bottle of bomb-making material found in an apartment that was raided this past weekend.
Deputy National Police Chief Chakthip Chaijinda was asked by reporters if the man — whose name and nationality have not been released — had confessed to involvement in the Aug. 17 blast at Erawan Shrine that killed 20 people and injured more than 120, or another explosion the following day near a busy river pier that caused no casualties.
"It is in the nature of the suspect to deny it, but he admits that he was there in the area when it happened," Chakthip said.
Thai authorities say the man, identified only as a foreigner, was arrested Tuesday near the border with Cambodia as he was attempting to flee.
Police announced separately that they are seeking the arrest of a Turkish man, Emrah Davutoglu, who they believe is also linked to the blasts. He is at least the third Turk among eight suspects for whom arrest warrants have been issued.