Thai police have said an arrest warrant has been issued for a "Chinese" man over last month's deadly Bangkok blast, backtracking after they earlier identified the suspect as a member of the country's Uighur minority.
Confusing and sometimes contradictory official statements have characterised updates into the investigation of the attack that killed 20 people, the majority ethnic Chinese visitors, at a religious shrine in the capital's bustling downtown district on August 17.
Analysts have increasingly pointed towards militants from China's mostly Muslim Uighur minority - or their supporters - in revenge for Thailand's forced deportation of 109 Uighur refugees to an uncertain future in China in July.
Up until Saturday, Thai police had avoided attempts to directly connect the blast with the kingdom's major ally China or the Uighurs.
National police spokesman Prawut Thavornsiri told AFP the suspect was a Uighur according to his passport, as authorities released a photo of the moustached and short-haired suspect, with a caption that identified him as Abudusataer Abudureheman, or "Ishan", of "Uighur" ethnicity and "Chinese" nationality.
But, shortly afterwards, police sent reporters another photo of the suspect - this time removing mention of his ethnicity and requesting media "drop the word Uighur".
Later on Saturday, Prawut said he wanted to "correct" his earlier comment, without explaining why or denying whether the man was of Uighur ethnicity, saying only the suspect was "Chinese".
"I cannot confirm his whereabouts," the spokesman added.
Thai authorities are already holding in custody two foreign men, whose nationalities remain unconfirmed, over the attack.
Ishan, who police say is 27 years old, is among another 11 suspects wanted by police.
AFP
