The Criminal Court on Tuesday approved a police request for arrest warrants against three new suspects for the bomb and arson attacks in Bangkok and Nonthaburi province early this month.
They are Uthman Latah, Hasan Awae and Natsaru Maprasit. The three are suspected of possessing bombs and destroying property, according to Pol Col Kritsana Pattanacharoen, deputy spokesman of the Royal Thai Police.
"We emphasise that the investigation and arrest warrants are based on investigative work and backed with sufficient evidence. There will be no scapegoats in the Bangkok bomb case," Pol Col Kritsana told media on Tuesday.
Nine arrest warrants have been issued and two arrests made since Aug 2.
Lu-ai Saengae, 22, and Wildon Maha, 29, both from Rueso district in Narathiwat, were apprehended on an inter-provincial bus at a police checkpoint in Chumphon province on Aug 2, on suspicion of planting explosive devices in front of police headquarters in Bangkok a day before the blasts.
A manhunt is now on for the other suspects, some of whom are thought to have fled to a neighbouring country.
Respondents to a Suan Dusit poll released at the weekend ranked the bombings as their top concern, with more than 83% saying they expect to see the case solved quickly.
The Aug 2 blasts injured five people and were accompanied by arson attacks in Pratunam and Siam Square. Police first linked the attacks with the southern insurgency but later included the possibility of a political motive.