Bombing suspect bribed his way into Thailand.

A key suspect in last month's Bangkok bombing bribed border police with $600 to illegally enter Thailand.

Adem Karadag, one of the two foreign suspects involved in the August 17 Erawan shrine bombing, was arrested at his apartment in eastern Bangkok late last month. Police said Karadag possessed bomb-making equipment and dozens of fake Turkish passports.

Police have not yet explained Karadag's role in the incident but said they know how he managed to enter Thailand.

Suspect Adem Karadag. Photo: AFP.

"The first suspect (Karadag) confessed that he traveled through Vietnam to a neighboring country and then paid to continue his journey," AFP quoted Thai police chief Somyot Poompanmoung as telling reporters. "At the Thai border, he paid $600 (to enter Thailand)."

Mr. Somyot did not name the neighboring country or the identity of the bribe recipient. This neighboring country could be Laos or Cambodia, as both countries are situated between Vietnam and Thailand.

The second suspect, Yusufu Mieraili, was arrested on September 1st in the border area with Cambodia. He was carrying a Chinese passport that police believe to be genuine. Mieraili confessed to handing over the backpack containing the bomb to a man who left it at the Erawan Shrine just minutes before the explosion.

Thailand is considered a safe haven for foreigners seeking to escape or those overstaying their visas, as many officials are willing to accept bribes to turn a blind eye.

"I cannot ignore this issue because I feel ashamed," Somyot said yesterday, calling on the military government to support him in dealing with corrupt border officials. At least six police officers in the border area with Cambodia, where Mieraili was arrested, have been dismissed on charges of accepting bribes to help people cross the border illegally.

The motives of the group of suspects accused of being responsible for the August 17 bombing that killed 20 people and damaged Thailand's tourism industry remain unclear. Analysts suggest the incident is linked to Uyghur Muslim insurgents, as Thailand deported dozens of Uyghurs back to China earlier this summer.

Thai media outlets have recently focused their coverage on the suspected mastermind, identified as either Izan or Ishan, who allegedly fled Thailand before the Erawan bombing.

Thai police confirmed today that they are searching for the suspect but believe he played little role in the bombing. "Don't assume Ishan is the big fish. You might be surprised," said Somyot.

According to VNE