Australian model accused of Bangkok bombing blames ‘jealous haters spreading gossip’ online

An Australian model and English tutor who was questioned by Thai police after being accused online of being the Bangkok bomber said he was in shock and saddened by what had happened.

2-MIN READ2-MIN

A man wanted for questioning by Thai police in connection with the Bangkok bombing (left) and model Sunny Burns (right). Photo: SCMP Pictures

Published: 9:15am, 19 Aug 2015Updated: 3:36pm, 19 Aug 2015

An Australian model and English tutor who was questioned by Thai police on Tuesday night after being accused online of being the Bangkok bomber said he was in shock and saddened by what had happened.

Sunny Burns, originally from Sydney but currently working as an English "personal trainer" and part-time actor in the Thai capital, handed himself in to authorities after social media users wrongly identified him as being the man police suspect was responsible for the Erawan Shrine bombing, which killed at least 22 people on Monday night.

A selfie taken by model Sunny Burns during his interview with Thai police. Photo: SCMP Pictures

Burns, who has worked as a model in Hong Kong, wrote on Facebook that he was yelled at by a Thai police chief and had his home searched for bombs or bomb-making material, but still said he was treated well by officers overall.

He said he was cleared when CCTV footage emerged of him on his way from the gym to teach an English class in another part of Bangkok.

Watch: Sunny Burns stars in mini soap opera "Keep in Touch"