"Critics of the voting rules should step forward and suggest ways to prevent the block vote instead of attacking the entire voting system," Meechai Ruchuphan said. Meechai said he saw little possibility for 2,000 NPA members to collude and vote uniformly -but he was willing to amend the existing rules as a precaution.

In regard to an earlier suggestion that NPA members should vote within their four professional groups, the arbitrary grouping might worsen the problem as a smaller group was more susceptible to voting manipulation than a larger one, he said.

Furthermore, the arbitrary grouping was banned by the 2006 Interim Constitution, he added.

Taxation :Tax-exemption ceiling may rise

Single Thais might pay less tax after the Revenue Department planned to propose raising the ceiling for tax from Bt60,000 to Bt100,000. Director-general Sirote Swasdipanich said yesterday he would ask deputy Finance Minister Sommai Phasee to consider amending the law.

Courts :Lese majeste charges dropped

The Criminal Court yesterday dismissed the case of lese majeste against media tycoon Sondhi Limthongkul and the publisher of Kom Chad Luek newspaper after public prosecutors formally withdrew the charges.

Prosecutors told the court yesterday there was no public benefit in pursuing the case and proceeding would hinder social reconciliation and inflame political tension. They added the trial could irritate His Majesty the King and the feelings of his subjects.

The court warned the two to exercise caution in future before making statements or printing articles referring to the monarchy. Chaliew expressed his gratitude for His Majesty the King's mercy and vowed to think, speak and act with integrity.

Drugs  :Kraisak wants killings probe

Former senator Kraisak Choonhavan yesterday proposed including the reinvestigation of drug-related killings during the Thaksin tenure as part of the national agenda.

Speaking after meeting Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont with fellow ex-senators, Kraisak said his proposal would focus on punishing senior officials who ordered or indirectly signalled killings rather than subordinates who followed orders. Surayud earlier set a six-month timeframe for the reinvestigation of more than 2,500 drug-related killings, starting from December 1.