Police on Tuesday came out to deny news reports that they had arrested Chai-amorn Kaewwiboonpan, aka "Ammy The Bottom Blues", one of the three people suspected of setting fire to a portrait of His Majesty the King as he tried to escape from a hospital in Bangkok.
Mr Chai-armorn's whereabouts were unknown as of press time on Tuesday night.
"We haven't received any report that Mr Chai-amorn was arrested or put in police custody," Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB) deputy commissioner, Pol Maj Gen Piya Tawichai told media on Tuesday evening right after local media reported Mr Chai-armorn had been arrested.
Mr Chai-amorn is one of three people wanted on charges of lese majeste, arson and violation of the Computer Crime Act.
Police reportedly searched for him on Tuesday after the Criminal Court approved a request by Pracha Chuen police for arrest warrants for the suspects.
The three were suspected of setting fire to a portrait of the King and damaging state property outside Klongprem Central Prison in Chatuchak district in the early hours of Sunday.
Pol Maj Gen Piya said that police had solid evidence to back their warrant request, which included footage from security cameras at the scene.
According to a source, Mr Chai-armorn got out of a Toyota Fortuner to set fire to the portrait while two other suspects waited in the car.