Troops patrol the compound of the Office of the Auditor-General, where AEC's offices AEC are also located, and check all cars entering the compound. Working hours have also been changed.

AEC spokesman Sak Korsaengruang said all staff, including the AEC members, should be careful and alert others if they find anything suspicious.

Sak said he had avoided high-risk areas since the bombings, adding that the attacks had been planned for some time.

He said it was normal to tighten security measures in such circumstances. However, they would not affect the AEC's work.

Banjerd Singkaneti said the AEC had been working as usual.

Some AEC members have been threatened, he said.

Viroj Laohaphan, who investigates tax-related cases, has received a threatening post card. Udom Fuangfung, who is probing the land purchase by Khunying Pojaman Shinawatra - wife of ousted prime minister Thaksin - has received mysterious phone calls.

The AEC will follow the the Council for National Security's advice to be careful, but whether more security is necessary will depend on any changes for the worse, Banjerd said.

"We are not worried about our safety, as we do our job legally. We don't harass people. We work on the straight and narrow but we can't say what will happen. However, we are confident in our neutrality, so we are confident nothing bad will happen to the AEC," he added.

AEC secretary Kaewsan Atibodhi said he did his job as best he could and had not increased security measures for himself.

"I am just more careful. Nothing special. I just try to park my car next to the security booth for peace of mind," he said.

Kaewsan said the AEC had not discussed whether its investigations were a motive for the bombings. However, he accepted there was a possibility that wrongdoers had tried to intimidate the government into stopping the investigations.

Viroj said he had received the post-card threat last year, but remained confident in the integrity of his work.

Udom said he believed the government would be able to handle the situation and provide security for Thais, while Amnuay Tantara said he did not feel pressured or worried about the threats.

Budsarakham Sinlapalavan

The Nation