Supreme Court Pres-ident Charnchai Likit-jittha yesterday told caretaker Senate Speaker Suchon Chaleekrua that the election commissioners were unfit for office because they were not politically neutral.

In a letter to Suchon, Charnchai said the Supreme Court had rejected Suchon's request to nominate candidates to fill the Election Commission's two vacancies because it would not help redress the three remaining members' standing.

He said 72 of the 82 Supreme Court judges agreed at their meeting on Wednesday that election commissioners Vasana Puemlarp, Prinya Nakchudtree and Virachai Naewboonnien were not politically neutral, and thus not qualified to perform their duties.

The Constitution states that an EC member has to be politically neutral and clearly honest, the letter noted.

The Supreme Court chief justice said in his letter that the Constitution Court had ruled on May 8 that the EC members had organised the April snap election in an unfair manner, which could be interpreted as saying that they lacked political neutrality.

"It is evident that the three remaining election commissioners are not in a position to have the trust to continue with their work. So the Supreme Court general meeting is not in a position to support the work of these three people," the letter said.

Charnchai wrote that the Supreme Court general meeting had no legal provisions to go on to grant a request by the Senate speaker about the matter.

The letter also noted that the Supreme Court judges at Wednesday's meeting expressed concern that society has become divisive as a result of the severe political dispute.

"Both sides appear to have ignored one another and this has posed a threat to our democracy and the well-being of the general public," said the letter, a copy of which was obtained by The Nation yesterday.

A group of 35 outgoing senators petitioned Suchon for a judicial review to remove the remaining EC members from office. Their statement said the EC trio showed favouritism in the administration of the electoral process, an offence punishable by dismissal.

The government, meanwhile, appeared reluctant to fix the date for the general election.

Deputy Premier Wissanu Krea-Ngam said the poll date, provisionally set for October 15, could be changed if the election commissioners resigned. Or the EC members might ask for a change in the election date themselves.

Two outgoing senators took legal action against caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his Cabinet, filing an administrative complaint, charging the Cabinet with passing resolutions illegitimately, as the premier's status is unclear.

Kraisak Choonhavan and Nirun Phitakwatchara said Thaksin resumed work even though he had left office when he took leave on April 5.

They said that because of Thaksin's unlawful presence at Cabinet meetings last month, all subsequent actions were not sanctioned.

They asked the court to nullify two key decisions - a draft decree to schedule the new election for October 15 and a draft ministerial regulation to amend the registration procedure for land ownership.

The Supreme Administrative Court has yet to set the date for the first hearing.

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Farmers set to receive debt-relief from govt

n The Nation

The Finance Ministry is proposing a package of measures to relieve farmers' debts at a special Cabinet meeting today.

Caretaker Deputy Finance Minister Varathep Varakorn said the ministry is also suggesting the transfer of state units deposits to the Government Housing Bank and the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives, so that the money can be re-lent to low-income earners at a below-market interest rate.

"The Comptroller-General's Office is mobilising funds, primarily from four sources," he said.

The first is state revolving funds of about Bt150 billion. Second is special funds such as the Government Pension Fund and the Social Security Fund. Third is provincial administrative bodies and fourth is deposits of state agencies and state enterprises.

"The total could be about Bt160 billion. And we're thinking how much of it could be transferred to the two specialised banks," said Varathep.

The idea of low-interest loans was floated last week, as the government scrambled for options to ease the rising public burden from sharp hikes in fuel prices.

Since deposits earn low interest, state agencies could make more by lending the money to low-income earners, he said.

Measures for salaried workers should be the responsibility of the Labour Ministry, he said.

The special Cabinet meeting was called as high fuel prices have raised the cost of living.

It is also crucial to show that caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is exercising his power in alleviating the

burden and addressing problems that are hurting the overall economy.

The ministry also heard out concerns of the Board of Trade, Thai Bankers Association and Federation of Thai Industries.