Security tightened following grenade attacks

Police could not say whether the attack was politically motivated, although he has been criticised by the red-shirted demonstrators for "stalling" an EC decision to disband the Democrat Party over a political infraction.

The explosive thrown into the house was initially reported to be |a large firecracker, but police |ordnance personnel later said it |was a Chinese-made hand grenade with a home-made detonator. Two more grenades were found in the house.

The attack at about 11.30pm caused property damage at his residence on Krungthep-Nonthaburi Soi 43, where he has not stayed for over four months.

A surveillance camera was found out of order not long before the attack.

Police said they were guarding the homes of key government officials and important figures and would heighten the security level.

Early in the morning an M-79 grenade was fired at a Bangkok Bank branch near the Ratchada-phisek-Lat Phrao intersection, causing no casualties.

One M-79 grenade was found within the bank compound and one large and one small hole on the bank's glass front.

Police are determining whether other weapons were used in the attack.

The M-79 grenade did not work possibly because it was launched from the Ratchadaphisek-Lat Phrao flyover, too short from its target.

Phaholyothin police said the branch had 11 closed-circuit cameras but none covered the areas at the front.

Meanwhile, Rungnapha Phrome-samlee, the widow of Pol Senior Sgt-Major Witthaya, who was killed in an earlier M-79 attack on Lumpini Park, has been granted special permission to serve in the police force.

Upon official approval and |completion of enlistment procedures, she will be assigned to Pho Sai Police Station in Ubon Ratchathani, her and her late |husband's home province, National Police spokesman Pongsapat Pongcharoen said.