The Comptroller General's Department would also fix the cost for e-marketplace operators to organise an electronic auction for government procurement.

The fixed cost would depend on a percentage of each government procurement project.

It is a response to small operators who complain that big e-marketplace operators dump prices in order to win bids to arrange e-auction services. Currently, the department only requires a cost ceiling for e-market operations.

E-market operators provide electronic services, meeting rooms and telecommunications for participants in bidding for government procurements. - The Nation.

Election commission : EC to invite parties soon for talks on political activities

Representatives of political parties will be invited early next month to discuss the possible lifting of bans on political activity, the Election Commission (EC) said yesterday.

The decision came after Thai Rak Thai Party legal representative Vichit Plungsrisakul petitioned the EC on Tuesday, which was three months after the September 19 coup.

Currently, two orders from the Council for Democratic Reform - No 15 and No 27 - bans parties from holding political activities.

However, coup leader and chairman of the Council of National Security General Sonthi Boonyakalin said that individual political parties should make an appeal and the matter would then be handled on a case-by-case basis.  - The Nation.