The Supreme Court's full bench of 84 judges selected the nine judges to sit on the Crimi-nal Tribunal for Political Office Holders, a special court for corruption cases, in a secret ballot yesterday.

The nine selected obtained votes ranging from 72 to 47.

With the selection of the judges, the special court has been activated to rule on the case against Thaksin and his wife by due process. It is expected to convene on July 10 to examine the prosecution writ and evidence.

The arraignment hearing, at which Thaksin and Pojaman are obliged to be present in person, is slated for some time in early August.

The defence will have five days to dispute the credentials of the nine judges, if it has cause to suspect conflict of interest or prejudice.

Should the two defendants fail to report for arraignment they would become fugitives with 10 years of statutory limitation, said court spokesman Sarawut Benjakul.

He said that if the defendants failed to show up at the first hearing the court might temporarily put the case on hold but that if they were found to be avoiding appearing before the court intentionally, warrants for their arrest could be issued.

Ten Supreme Court judges withdrew from the contest with the consent of the meeting. Three of them, ML Krairerk Kasemsant, Kitisak Kittikhun-pairoj and Thanit Kesawapi-thak, are on the Constitution Tribunal. The three other Supreme Court judges on the Constitution Tribunal, court president Panya Thanomrod, Nurak Mapraneet and Som-chai Pongsatha. remained in the contest, according to a source.

Panya obtained 10 votes, the source said.

In a related development, Pichit Chuenban, a lawyer for the Shinawatra family, yesterday said the public prosecutors' lawsuit filed against Thaksin and Pojaman made unfair accusations against the ex-PM.