AEC subcommittee chairman Udom Fuangfung said his panel would next Tuesday recommend to the AEC that it set up a committee to probe the suspects for violating the criminal code and the Offences Committed by State Officials Act of 1959.

Value-added, gambling and income taxes on lottery winners were waived by the Thaksin Shinawatra Cabinet, but the lottery was not for charity, he said.

In other AEC developments, Prasert Boonsri said he decided to accept an invitation from AEC chairman Nam Yimyaem to head a panel probing the purchase of fire-engines by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.

He appointed seven members.

The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) informed the AEC that its deputy governor Yuthana Tapcharoen and inspector Surang Medee, both of whom played key roles in pushing for the Airport Rail Link project, resigned on Monday, a source said.

The AEC has been investigating why the SRT ordered an insurance payment for the concession in place of the private sector. A source said Yuthana was behind the move.

Yuthana submitted his resignation last Thursday, and it was approved by acting governor Thawil Samnakhon and the SRT board on Monday. Yuthana cited in his resignation that he had worked for the agency for more than 30 years and was volunteering to step down.

Surang submitted his resignation on Monday, and it will be effective 30 days afterwards.

Yuthana's sudden move raised many eyebrows. He was recently chosen as the new SRT governor, and the de8cision to appoint him was approved by the board.

SRT chairman Siwa Saengmani said the board members wondered whether Yuthana's resignation as deputy governor meant he would not take up the governor's post.