In what seen as its desperate attempt to stay on, the EC Monday held a meeting with political parties to consider when should be the next election day.

A total of 19 parties attended the meeting. The three former opposition parties - Democrat, Chat Thai and Mahachon - boycotted the meeting on ground that they saw the EC no longer had legitimacy after the Constitution Court ruled that its way of handling the April 2 election was unconsitutional.

Twelve of the parties voted to set the election on October 22 and have a new royal decree to set the election day to be issued on August 22.

The reasoned that the new election date would help members of current political parties to beat the 90-day rule and switch party loyalty.

The EC promised to propose the new election date for the Cabinet to issue a royal decree as soon as possible.

But Democrat secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban said the scheduling the new election more than 90 days way was not the main point.

"The point is that the election must be clean and fair to all sides," Suthep said.

He said he had lost trust in the current EC and saw that it had no legitimacy to go on organising elections.

Suthep noted that he had filed a criminal lawsuit against the EC and he supported the People's Alliance for Democracy to campaign for the ouster of the EC.

"Think about it. If the Criminal Court agrees to proceed with the trial against the EC on May 29, the EC will become defendants. And if the trial is sped up and the EC is convicted and jailed, how could the next election be held if the EC is not changed now?" Suthep said.

Meanwhile, Chat Thai deputy leader Nikorn Chamnong said he agreed with the plan to hold the new election on October 22.

"But we will have to wait and see how the Cabinet will react to this proposal," Nikorn said.

He said holding the election that far would be automatically unlock political lock without the need to amend the Constitution first.

"Politicians will be able to switch to join new parties they consider best responding to their political stand and new parties could be set up," Nikorn said.

But he said the crisis of confidence toward the EC still remained.

"The best way-out should be the resignation of the EC," Nikorn said.

Mahachon deputy leader Akapol Sorasuchart said he welcomed the scheduling of the election on October 22.

But, he said, the Mahachon would like to call on for the change of the EC during the run-up to the election because there would be still plenty of time.

Anek Laothamathat, former Mahachon leader, said setting the election day on October 22 could not help reduce the pressure for the EC to resign. He said the EC should step down now so that the four commissioners would not face criminal lawsuits, which could result in their imprisonment.

Thai Rak Thai Party leader and caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said he had no problem with scheduling the new election on October 22.