Panel is divided over MP control

However, it has yet to reach an agreement on whether to change the system, so that 400 constituency MPs can vote as representatives of each small constituency. It also needs to discuss whether each party should file a list of party-list candidates from around the country, instead of the eight zones as required by current laws.

Members of the committee, chaired by Senator Direk Tuengfang, agreed that wrongdoers should pay bigger penalties, though these cases should come under the court not the Election Commission.

The panel also stressed the importance of promoting free and fair elections, while not weakening political parties. Therefore, it said, all changes should support the causes.

Some committee members, including Chinnaworn Boonyakiat and Surachai Liengboonlerschai, proposed that there should be some measures taken to make all party executives responsible if one of them cheats in the elections.

The subpanel, led by Senator Lertrat Ratanavanich, will have to study the proposed charter changes in detail.

With regard to the MP election system, committee members discussed whether or not some members of Parliament would be better off taking care of smaller constituencies.

The committee members also had different views on what would help stop electoral fraud. Some said fraud would be easier to detect in smaller constituencies, while others said the competition in small areas was fiercer and votes could be bought with a lot less money.

Pheu Thai MP Somsak Kiatsuranont said fraudulent MPs would be able to cheat in either of the two systems.

Prakit Poldej, a Pheu Thai representative, urged the committee members to be bold and truthful. He said the coup-makers had made up rules to block supporters of former PM Thaksin Shinawatra, while Somsak said his party had been treated unfairly by the Election Commission in 2007.

"It is unfairness that is causing conflicts in the country," he said. He also urged the committee to make the checks and balances of the justice system as well as independent agencies. Moreover, he said, Article 309 giving amnesty to the coup-makers should be changed.