Metropolitan Police Bureau chief Sanit Mahathavorn said the object that injured two women on Monday was not an explosive device and urged people not to panic.
Government spokesman Sansern Kaewkammnerd said on Tuesday that Gen Prayut, also head of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), had ordered Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon to investigate the incident and find out the cause. If the probe found it was aimed at creating chaos, culprits must be brought to justice.
The prime minister also asked concerned agencies to provide assistance to people injured in the Monday night incident, said Lt Gen Sansern.
The two women were slightly injured when an object which was earlier reported to be an explosive device went off in front of the National Theatre near Sanam Luang at 8.30pm.
Explosive ordnance disposal police inspecting the scene found no traces of gunpowder. They believed the loud bangs came from an old PVC pipe that exploded due to high pressure.
Gen Prawit insisted the incident was not a symbolic act against the NCPO ahead of the government’s three-year performance report.
Deputy Bangkok governor Amnuay Nimmano said authorities would look into whether Monday’s incident was an accident or created by ill-intentioned people.
Police were investigating whether the incident was linked to the explosion that occurred at the old Government Lottery Office in April, said Pol Lt Gen Amnuay.
If the probe found Monday’s incident was an effort to create disturbances, suspects were unlikely to be able to escape, said the deputy governor.