"Under a new penalty decreed by the Council for Democratic Reform Announcement No 27, party executives will have their voting right revoked for five years if found guilty of fraud," EC chairman Apichart Sukhagganond said.

He expected the prosecution to petition the Constitution Tribunal to factor in the new penalty during the sentencing review.

The new penalty came into force after the September 19 coup and was designed to wipe out cheats from the politics.

The cancellation of voting rights will mean mandatory disqualification to contest elections. The other penalties for electoral fraud include party dissolution and a twoyear ban on convicted party executives managing or forming other parties.

The Thai Rak Thai Party faces charges of allegedly bankrolling small parties to contest the April 2 general election.

EC member Prapun Naigowit said the Constitution Tribunal was expected to rule whether the new penalty could be imposed in cases of fraud committed before its enactment.

The tribunal on Thursday decided to split the electoral fraud charges into two cases. One case is centred on the charges against Thai Rak Thai and two small parties. The other involves the Democrats and another small party allegedly attempting to frame Thai Rak Thai. Hearings of the cases will begin in full swing next month.

After being informed of the tribunal's new procedures Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said he expected a speedy conclusion of the trial.

Thai Rak Thai acting leader Chaturon Chaisang said he would have to wait for the tribunal's ruling on the enforcement of the new penalty before commenting on the issue.

The Nation