London student, 19, among Bangkok bombing deadTributes paid to Vivian Chan Wing-yan, a British national with Hong Kong residency, who was killed with 21 others at Erawan shrine

 Vivian Chan Wing-yan was a former pupil at Harrow International School in Hong Kong. Photograph: Wing Yan Vivian Chan/FacebookDamien Gayle and agencies

@damiengayle

Tuesday 18 August 2015 13.38 BSTLast modified on Tuesday 18 August 201518.54 BST

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A British law student described as a kind, cheerful food blogger was among the 22 victims of Monday’s bomb attack on a Hindu temple in central Bangkok.

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Vivian Chan Wing-yan, 19, who was studying at London’s BPP law school, was praying at the Erawan shrine with her friend Arcadia Pang Wan-chee when the bomb exploded at about 7pm. Both were killed.

The Foreign Office confirmed that a British national resident in Hong Kong was among the Bangkok dead, but would not confirm that person was Chan. However, the Guardian has seen photo said to be of Chan’s passport that suggests she is a British national born in Hong Kong in 1996, when it was a British territory.

Professor Peter Crip, BPP’s dean of law, said: “Everyone at BPP University is devastated to hear of the loss of one of our students, Vivian Chan Wing-yan, in Bangkok yesterday. Our thoughts are with Vivian’s family and we are currently working to support them in any way we can.”

Chan’s parents are understood to have travelled from Hong Kong to Bangkok to identify the body.

 Vivian Chan Wing-yan was studying at BPP school of law. Photograph: Facebook

Chan and Pang, 24, who had travelled with two male companions, were inside the temple praying when the bomb exploded, a friend of the group told the Guardian. The two men, who were leaving at the time of the explosion, were injured but survived.

On Tuesday, tributes were paid to Chan, who was an avid food blogger and fan of the Canto-pop singer Joey Yung. Chan’s food blog Kittealuvfood has attracted thousands of readers, with her account on Instagram showing 11,700 followers.

FacebookTwitterPinterest Vivian Chan Wing-yan, who was killed in the bombing in Bangkok. Photograph: facebook.com

Chan was a former pupil at Harrow International school in Hong Kong, which is linked with the prestigious Harrow school in west London. Harrow pupil Michelle Lou told the South China Morning Post she had only heard about her former schoolmate’s death on Tuesday morning and was still in shock.

“She was a really kind and cheerful person in general – she really loved to travel around and just go to a lot of different, good restaurants,” Lou said.

Lou said Chan had been a big fan of Canto-pop, in particular singer Joey Yung, whom she had met, sharing photos of the two together on Facebook.

Yung posted a photo on Facebook of the two of them together online with the message: “You have left a deep impression in me. Your wit, loveliness and your smile with dimples on the cheek,” Yung said in a Facebook post. “Thank you for being in my life.”

Writing on a Facebook tribute page, Ed Wawn posted: “Devastating news. Such a wonderful young women taken away so young. I really enjoyed teaching you Vivian … RIP.”

Sophia Hui said she was in “utter shock” to learn of her friend’s death, adding: “You were such a cheerful person and had one of the greatest smiles that I have seen. We, the Huis, are saddened with the loss. I still can’t believe this is real … RIP Vivian. You will always be remembered.”

The prime minister, David Cameron, said on Twitter he was “deeply saddened” by the Briton’s death and that his thoughts “are with her family and all those affected”.

— David Cameron (@David_Cameron)August 18, 2015Deeply saddened to hear a British national was killed in the horrific Bangkok bombing. My thoughts are with her family & all those affected.

The foreign secretary, Philip Hammond, said: “I can confirm that one British national, a resident of Hong Kong, lost her life in the attack. British embassy staff in Thailand are assisting her family at this very difficult time.

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“My thoughts are with the victims, their families and loved ones, and with the Thai people. Foreign Office officials are in close contact with the Thai authorities and have offered UK assistance in the investigation of this abhorrent act. British nationals in Thailand should check the Foreign Office website for the latest travel advice.”

Meanwhile, Thai authorities on Tuesday said they were hunting for a suspect seen on CCTV near the scene of the bomb blast at the Ratchaprasong intersection in the central Chidlom district of Bangkok.

Footage broadcast on Thai media shows the man in a yellow T-shirt sitting on a bench and taking off a large, black backpack before standing up, walking away and checking his phone.