Thai PM sacks national police chief

BANGKOK, Feb 5 (Reuters) - Army-appointed Thai Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont sacked his national police chief today, after a month of little progress in investigations into New Year's Eve bombs that killed three people in Bangkok. Kowit Wattana, who has been replaced by one of his deputies, General Sereepisut Taemeeyaves, was also a member of the Council for National Security (CNS), the group of military chiefs who ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in a September 19 coup.

It is not known whether he will remain on the CNS, as the coup command now calls itself.

An order from Surayud obtained by Reuters did not give a reason for the transfer.

Kowit had been under pressure due to the police's failure to bring any of the New Year's bombers to justice, or stop a string of mysterious torchings of rural schools.

Last month, police released without charge a group of 19 police, military and civilians who had been arrested seven days earlier on suspicion of involvement in the bombs, which also wounded 38 people.

In the immediate aftermath of the blasts, the army-installed government pointed the finger at Thaksin loyalists, an allegation Thaksin -- a former police lieutenant-colonel -- has denied.

However, last week Justice Ministry investigators suggested Muslim militants from the far south might be responsible. More than 2,000 people have died in a three-year separatist campaign of shootings and bombings in the three southernmost provinces.

Shortly after his appointment, Sereepisut told Channel 9 television his priorities were to tackle the Bangkok bombs, the school arson attacks, and the southern violence.

REUTERS DKA RN1819