Election Commission chairman Vasana Puemlarp greets his supporters – students from Ramkhamhaeng University – at his office yesterday. Several groups of both protesters and supporters have visited the EC headquarters this week.

EC secretary-general Ekachai Varunprapa said the incident was now under police investigation and the EC had no authority to interfere.

As a police lieutenant-general, Ekachai said he believes the brawlers were involved in a criminal act.

"They committed an offence so they must face prosecution. We are not behind the incident and there is no reason we should do that," he said.

He also dismissed criticism that the EC practised discrimination by providing special privileges to its supporters. "Why didn't the media cover the protesters camping outside our headquarters for three months? The public complained they broke the law for blocking traffic."

Ekachai was speaking after receiving a bouquet of flowers from Suphan Buri residents who had come to the EC's office in Bangkok to give encouragement to the beleaguered commissioners, who are coming under intense pressure to quit.

The Thai Journalists Association and Thai Broadcast Journalists Association issued a joint statement condemning supporters of the EC for physically assaulting the media, saying they transgressed the Constitu-tion by violating the rights of the media to perform its duty.

The EC supporters used an umbrella to batter journalists and threw water bottles at them. The supporters also verbally attacked them and challenged them to a fight.

The two media organisations also submitted a letter to police demanding a beef-up in security for reporters.

The Criminal Court of Southern Bangkok accepted a suit against EC chairman Vasana Puemlarp and his three colleagues for their allegedly improper supervision of the general election.

The suit was filed by Uthen Chatpinyo, a former Democrat Party candidate for Samut Prakan. The court scheduled August 7 for the first hearing.