1st LD Writethru: Thai woman sought for housing bomb-making materials

Thai authorities are hunting for a Thai woman after bomb-making materials were found in her rented apartment in Bangkok's Min Buri district, Bangkok Post reported Monday.

Police and soldiers searched the apartment at Maimuna Garden Home on Saturday night, and seized a number of items that could be used to make bombs, including urea-based fertilizer, bottles of flash powder, black and blue electrical wiring and wristwatches, police sources were quoted as saying.

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 the two recent bombing attacks, were seized.

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 and soldiers went back to Maimuna Garden Home on Sunday to search the entire apartment again, and found a welding tool in one room.

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

Meanwhile, police are reportedly seeking arrest warrants against three more foreign suspects in connection with the twin bombing attacks.

Security camera footage showed the three had been to the apartment of the recently arrested suspect, who is now in custody at the 11th Infantry Regiment headquarters. Endi