Bangkok blasts not terrorist act, says Thai deputy PM

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Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister Yuthasak Sasiprapha said on Thursday that the three explosions in downtown Bangkok on Tuesday were a security issue and there was no evidence to classify them as a terror attack, the online edition of The Nation newspaper reported.

"The government views the blasts as having impacted on the national security," The Nation quoted General Yuthasak as saying.

The explosive devices were aimed for individual targets and the blasts involving Iranian bomber suspects were individual crimes and not a terrorist attack, Yuthasak said, reaffirming statements of National Security Council secretary-general Wichean Photephosree at a press conference on Wednesday.

The police investigation has yet to determine the motive why the suspects assembled the devices, he said.

The authorities had no evidence to link the suspects to a terrorist movement, reported Xinhua.

Three consecutive blasts occurred Tuesday in downtown Bangkok, injuring five people. One of them was an Iranian who hurled a device at the police.

Thai police have issued arrest warrants for four Iranian nationals on charges related to the blast.