One of the court's security officials said the National Intelligence Agency had warned it might be the target of a bomb attack as it was considering many political cases.

The court's secretary-general, Paiboon Varahapaitoon, has ordered security officials to strictly check people and vehicles entering and leaving, a source from the court said.

Paiboon said he had asked the Armed Forces Security Centre to borrow bomb and weapons detectors, after which the court would buy the weapons detector.

"We believe that more people will come here in the near future to hear the court's consideration on political cases such as the dissolution of political parties," he said.

Apart from hiring a private company to secure the court office, the court also asked for more officers from Phra Ratchawang police station to be on guard due to heightened tension as a result of the explosives found near caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's residence, Paitoon said.

Meanwhile, the security team at Government House yesterday rearranged media interviews with Thaksin. Reporters are now prevented by a rope barrier from getting too close to him during interviews.

Suphon Thanukrit,

Worranaree Kosajan

The Nation