Bomb blast hits residence of court chief

 Ackaratorn and his family were away on an overseas trip at the time. He confirmed the incident by phone from Egypt.

Deputy police chief General Jongrak Juthanon said witnesses heard a motorcycle pass in front of the house on Lat Prao Soi 25 just before the device went off.

Police found a hole in the ground about four-metres long and 10-centimetres deep inside the compound, but no metal fragments or gunpowder.

They suspect the attack may have been meant to cause panic, not bodily harm.

The Supreme Court was scheduled to deliver its verdict later in the day on the Ratchadaphisek land case against former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife.

Ackaratorn was vice president of the Constitution Tribunal when it dissolved the Thai Rak Thai Party last May.

The Administrative Court recently issued one injunction against Samak Sundaravej Cabinet's resolution recognising the Preah Vihear Temple and another one against police violence towards anti-government protesters from the People's Alliance for Democracy.

Ackaratorn is visiting Cairo with another Supreme Administrative Court judge, Wisanu Warunyu, to attend a meeting on administrative court legal enforcement. They are due to return on Monday.