Seven of the 109 senators endorsed by the Election Commission have set up a working group to study their responsibilities and prepare for their new jobs when Parliament resumes, secretary Rayong's Panajeuphet Kritsanarat, said yesterday.

The senators, who have been receiving a salary since they were endorsed by the EC following the April 19 polls, have yet to begin formal duties as the law requires the Senate to convene only after all 200 seats are filled. The remaining 91 election winners are still awaiting EC endorsement. "We will invite independent organisations to inform us on certain issues. Also, we will ask the caretaker senators to explain our jobs," Panajeuphet said. "We have asked the Senate Secretariat for use of the Parliament building to do our work."

First, he said, the working group would invite the National Counter Corruption Commission secretary-general to inform them about their declarations of assets and liabilities.

Caretaker Tak Senator Panat Tasneeyanond yesterday said the new senators could ask to use Parliament facilities as they had been endorsed. Therefore they have the right of full-fledged senators, he said.

Chat Thai Party

Chuwit returns after Banharn 'offer'

Former massage-parlour tycoon Chuwit Kamolvisit has opted to return to the Chat Thai Party due to a "satisfactory offer" by party leader Banharn Silapa-archa, Chuwit said yesterday.

He said he decided to make a comeback after Banharn promised to put him among the top five on the Chat Thai party-list to contest the next general election. In the 2005 election, Chuwit was No 6 on the party-list. Chat Thai did not contest the April 2 polls.

Chuwit said yesterday he applied for Chat Thai membership on Monday. He left Chat Thai after the Constitution Court in January disqualified him as an MP on grounds that he had been a party member for a shorter period than required by law.

After the Lower House was dissolved, Chuwit was approached by many political parties, including Chat Thai.

Electricity Tariff

Board proposes price hike

Consumers might have to pay 15.16 satang more per unit of electricity from next month. The hike in the fuel tariff variable rate, which was proposed by a committee of the Electricity Regulatory Board yesterday, would take the unit cost from Bt3.01 to Bt3.16. This would apply until September, when the next adjustment is considered.

Discussions were under way to bring the preliminary increase down by 1-5 satang.

Southern Violence

Pickup loaded with cash robbed

Six men robbed a pickup loaded with cash and kidnapped the driver on Wednesday morning in Pattani's Muang district.

The black Toyota was found last night in Yaring district with its driver, Tuanmarudee Kupoh, missing, along with a safe-deposit box containing Bt3.4 million. Two pistols were left in the car.

Muang Pattani police chief Colonel Somjit Nasomyont said the robbery could have been an inside job, but did not suggest the driver was involved. The officer did not say whether the crime had anything to do with the ongoing insurgency plaguing the region.

Tuanmarudee worked for a rubber processing company. He was going to deposit the money at a Thai Military Bank branch. Police quoted eyewitnesses as saying that six men in a sedan, all unarmed, intercepted the pickup in a downtown area before snatching Tuanmarudee and taking him away. Two men took the pickup, while the others drove off in the car.