Senate Speaker Suchon Chaleekrua asked the government yesterday to submit a Royal Decree for a special parliamentary session late this week to select the five election commissioners.

Suchon said he sent a written request to the Cabinet secretariat yesterday for a special Senate session from Friday to Sunday so that senators can select five from the 10 nominees.

He expected the Cabinet to consider the request at its weekly meeting today.

Cabinet secretary-general Rongpol Charoenphanthu said yesterday he had received Suchon's request for royal endorsement for two decrees for a special parliamentary session from Friday. The session would close on Sunday.

Rongpol said he forwarded the Senate speaker's letter to caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who will sign the two decrees seeking royal endorsement. He later informed the Office of His Majesty's Principal Private Secretary about the Senate speaker's request.

Rongpol said he would raise the matter at today's Cabinet meeting.

An Upper House subcommittee charged with checking the candidates' backgrounds to determine if they are free from political connections had completed its task following a special sitting that ended on August 30.

But a new session is needed for the Senate to complete its task and select the five Election Commission members.

The EC seats have been vacant since the last commissioners resigned after a court ruling in late July that saw them jailed for mismanaging the election on April 2.