Thai army rules out intervention as blast toll rises

Thailand's army chief said the military will not intervene with force in the country's crisis, as the death toll from a blast in Bangkok rose to three. Thailand's political crisis has become increasingly violent since mass protests began in November, BBC reported. On Sunday, an apparent grenade blast near an anti-government protest site killed a woman and a four-year-old boy. Doctors said on Monday that the little boy's sister died later of brain injuries. Twenty-two people were hurt in Sunday's blast, including a nine-year-old boy who is in intensive care. Sunday's attack came hours after gunmen opened fire on an anti-government rally in Eastern Thailand, killing a five-year-old girl. Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has condemned the attacks, describing them as "terrorist acts for political gain". UN Secretary Ban Ki-moon has also spoken out, calling for violence "from any quarter" to end immediately.