"The panel will ask Senate Speaker Suchon Chaleekrua to seek a judicial review of the questionable credentials before proceeding any further," panel member Senator Chirmsak Pinthong said.

The five candidates possibly lack credentials because they had never worked in the position of director-general or equivalent, he added.

Should Suchon decide not

to petition for judicial review,

the panel will approach

the Constitution Court via

other channels, such as the

Office of Ombudsman, Chirmsak said.

He said the NCCC selection committee had worked with care, although eight of 12 committee members appeared to vote suspiciously in favour of six job applicants, one of whom became a candidate.

The five candidates in question are Santi Bang-or, deputy secretary-general of the National Economic and Social Development Board, Sajja Sasanawin, former deputy auditor-general, Areerat Watanasin, deputy secretary-general of the Basic Education Commission, Police Lt-General Wanchai Srinualnud, former assistant national police chief, and Dilok Boonruanrod, former acting rector of Suan Sunantha Rajabhat University.

Chirmsak said one of the NCCC candidates would appear before the panel today to testify how and why assets of Bt200 million were not declared when applying for the job.

He also stated that the panel could not verify the alleged political connections of certain candidates.