"I will speak with national police chief Kowit Wattana about it because there has been no progress one month after the attacks," Sonthi said yesterday.

He made no mention of an earlier statement when he said he would hold Kowit responsible if "scapegoats" were arrested.

Separately, Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont declined to comment on Kowit's future but did say the "decision will be made by the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) chief".

But, ex-officio Isoc head Sonthi said earlier it was the government's job to decide Kowit's future.

"It's not the job of the CNS. It has no duty relating to the dismissal. It depends on the government. The CNS has nothing to do with it."

Sonthi ordered in an internal probe into all 14 military men detained by police on suspicion of involvement in the New Year's Eve bombs. Preliminary results are expected in the next few days.

A source at the Judge Advocate General's Department said earlier that police were protected from criminal or civilian liability suits by a CNS order that allowed suspects to be detained for seven days without charge.

The source was responding to a statement by Lt Colonel Suchart Khadsoongnern - a Special Warfare Command (SWC) officer and one of the 18 suspects - that he was considering suing police and demanding a personal apology from Kowit.

SWC commander Lt-General Chaiphat Theerathamrong complained he had received no notification that Suchart was to be arrested at the SWC Lop Buri base by police and First Army Area soldiers.

"But, that's fine with me. I only want to make sure all steps are followed in a clear manner," he said, adding he believed SWC officers had nothing to do with the attack.

Asked about SWC officers' children failing to attend school while the suspects' were detained, Chaiphat said public-relations activities would be commenced and the unit's wives' association would visit the schools.