29 July 2010 Last updated at 23:56 ET

Thai grenade blast injures one in Bangkok

The state of emergency remains in place in the protest-hit capital, Bangkok

A grenade has exploded in the Thai capital Bangkok, police say, leaving one man seriously injured and raising fears of further civil unrest.

It comes after a fatal blast five days ago and violent anti-government protests in April and May.

Police said the grenade, tied with a rubber band and wrapped in a plastic bag, was left in a public bin.

The man who found it sustained injuries all over his body and is now being treated in hospital.

"I do not want to speculate on the cause at this point and whether it is politically motivated or an attempt to stir chaos," Lt Gen Santarn Chayanond of the Metropolitan Police told the Reuters news agency.

State of emergency

Last Sunday a small bomb exploded at a bus stop in Bangkok, killing one person and injuring 10 others.

That blast occurred in an area occupied by "red-shirt" anti-government protesters for weeks until a crackdown by the security forces in May.

So far, no group has said it carried out either attack.

Earlier this week, the Thai authorities lifted a state of emergency in six provinces but kept it in place in 10 others, including Bangkok.

Around 90 people died and 1,800 were injured during the confrontation between the "red shirts" and the security forces.