The Latest on Bangkok: Junta tries to assure country is safe

BANGKOK — The latest on the bombings in the Thai capital (all times local):

5:30 p.m.

Thailand's ruling junta has sought to assure Thais and foreigners that the country remains safe despite last week's bombing at a central Bangkok shrine that killed 20 people.

Government spokesman Maj. Gen. Sansern Kaewkamnerd said in a statement addressed to foreigners who plan to visit Thailand, be it for tourism, business, education or seminars, that "you will be safe during your stay in Thailand and you will also experience friendliness, smiles and kindness that we always provide."

He said that the situation in the country was "under control" and that the deployment of uniformed and plainclothes police has been increased in almost every area to provide "utmost safety to people."

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3:40 p.m.

Thai authorities say they have arrested two people for allegedly spreading "false information," apparently in connection with the bombing of a shrine in central Bangkok last week.

The ruling junta spokesman, Col. Winthai Suvaree, said Sunday that a student who posted a bomb threat on Facebook was arrested in Ayutthaya on Saturday and was charged with a computer crime that is punishable by up to five years in jail and a fine of 100,000 baht ($2,800). He did not give details of the second arrest except to say it happened in Bangkok.

Ayutthaya is about 80 kilometers (50 miles) north of Bangkok.

Winthai announced the arrests during his daily television broadcast to give an update on last Monday's bombing of the Erawan Shrine that left 20 people dead and scores injured. He said the two people were arrested for spreading "false information causing confusion in society," but did not say whether their posts were directly linked to the bombing.

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9:30 a.m.

Almost a week on since the deadly Bangkok bomb attack, Thailand's police say investigators need some luck to catch those behind it, and they may have already left the country.

National police chief Somyot Poompanmoung, speaking to reporters early Sunday morning, says "we need some luck. If the police have good fortune we might be able to make an arrest but ... if the perpetrator has good fortune maybe they can get away."

The bombing on Monday at a popular city shrine left 20 people dead and more than 100 wounded. So far the operation to find who carried out the attack appears to have made little headway with apparently contradictory statements coming from the military-backed government and the police.

Police spokesman Prawut Thawornsiri says he believes the perpetrator would have timed an escape carefully and "wouldn't have much time to stay around."

He told Channel 3 TV network: "I suspect that he may have left, but we will keep searching, in case we can find others who may be in the country or find clues, evidence and witnesses who may have seen him."

— Tassanee Vejpongsa, Bangkok

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2:15 p.m.

Thai authorities say they have made "much progress" in their investigation of Monday's bombing in central Bangkok that killed 20 people.

A spokesman for Thailand's ruling junta said they have been able to use closed circuit television to learn the transportation route that the main suspect took to and from the downtown Erawan shrine.

Col. Winthai Suvaree also said Saturday that a police artist's sketch of the unidentified suspect has been distributed to border crossings.

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1:15 p.m.

New surveillance video has surfaced in Thailand offering a possible clue to Monday's bombing in downtown Bangkok that took 20 lives.

Video leaked to Thai media shows a man in a blue shirt placing a bag on a riverside walkway, then kicking it into the water on Monday night shortly after the explosion several kilometers (miles) away at the Erawan shrine.

At about 1 p.m. Tuesday, an explosion took place in the water canal near a busy pier without hurting anyone.

Police spokesman Prawuth Thawornsiri said Saturday that police are seeking the man for questioning, even though it remains unclear if his actions had anything to do with either explosion.