As head of the council's 12th committee considering the ministry's authority to run the lotteries under the Government Lottery Act of 1974, Panas Simasathien said the council would convene again on Tuesday and submit its conclusion soon to the Finance Ministry.

The council had reached an understanding on the case at its meeting yesterday, Panas said while declining to reveal details. He urged the media to wait for the ministry's announcement.

A source said most members agreed that the ministry could continue with the popular lotteries even though the law did not expressly allow it to do so.

Such an exercise of power would be related to the previous government's two- and three-digit lotteries operation which was under investigation, the source said, adding that the minority members were judges and public prosecutors including Sopon Rattanakorn, Thanis Jetsa-watpitak and Suchat Traipasith.

Piyanart Srivalo

The Nation