Bangkok bomb: Thai TV station apologises for reconstruction three days after tragedy

A Thai television station has apologised after it dressed up a member of staff as the Bangkok bombing suspect and sent him to the scene of the blast, where at least 20 people were killed.

The Nation TV staff member was dressed in the same clothes as the suspect being hunted by police and wore a backpack and glasses.

One Twitter user, @BoyOfHeaven, posted pictures online after he spotted the TV crew and staff member at the Erawan shrine.

He tweeted: "There is an unidentified TV crew, they have someone dressed as the suspect in the shrine. Police have asked him to leave the scene and people are shouting 'terrible' at him."

Thai Police have issued an arrest warrant for a "foreign man" seen in CCTV footage of the Bangkok blast.

The warrant says police are seeking "a foreign man, unnamed, according to the sketch", referring to a sketch released by the force that showed a fair-skinned man with thick, medium-length black hair, a wispy beard and black glasses.

Executives at Nation TV have since acknowledged the decision to "simulate" the bombing was insensitive and disrespectful to the dead.

They issued an apology on air and also on social media.

A news editor on the station's Facebook page wrote: "I must respectfully apologize and heartfelt condolences."