Thai hospital bomber 'hated military': junta

A man who 'hated the military' has been arrested for carrying out last month's blast at an army-run hospital, the junta said yesterday, the first time officials have suggested a motive for the attack.

The blast occurred on the third anniversary of the junta's 22 May coup and struck a VIP waiting room inside a military-owned hospital in Bangkok, wounding 21 people.

Deputy junta leader Prawit Wongsuwan told reporters yesterday that an unnamed 62-year-old man had been detained for carrying out the blast.

"He did it absolutely," Prawit, a retired general, told reporters, adding the man "hated the military".

Bangkok's criminal court later named the suspect as Wattana Phumret, a retired engineer, and issued an arrest warrant for a series of charges including attempted murder and possession of explosives.