The AEC's term will expire in September and its unfinished cases are to be transferred to the NCCC. However, the NCCC is not authorised to investigate tax-related cases and can probe only government officers, not private companies, Sak said.

He said it was up to the government and the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) to consider extending the AEC's term, but the committee would do its best anyway.

PM's Office Minister Prasith Kowilaikul said the Cabinet would discuss whether to extend the AEC's term until the end of the current government's term and propose the issue to the NLA within 30 days.

Extending the AEC's term beyond the current government's term might upset the next government, he said.

He said the Justice Ministry would be mainly in charge of the issue, but many agencies should take part.

The AEC is preparing to indict people who allegedly illegally issued two- and three-digit lottery tickets after the Finance Ministry had filed a complaint, AEC member Udom Fuangfung said yesterday.

Udom, head of the fact-finding panel investigating the case, said the complaint, signed by Finance Minister Chalongphob Sussangkarn, was "completed" and named the alleged wrongdoers.

The AEC is expected to meet on Monday to appoint an investigation committee, Udom said.

The ministry filed the complaint to the AEC on March 30 as the injured party in the ousted government's unlawful decision to sell the new lottery tickets.

Under corruption law, the complaint paves the way for the AEC to proceed to the indictment stage as part of preparations for prosecution.

Banjerd Singkaneti, head of the subcommittee investigating irregularities in the last government's rubber-sapling project, said the subcommittee could not finish its report this week but would meet again next week.

Budsarakham Sinlapalavan,

Samatcha Hoonsara

The Nation