EC commissioner Sodsri Sattayatham was responding to calls for the CNS to cancel its announcements - numbers 15 and 17 - that ban political activities, so that political parties can begin campaigning for the election to be held at the end of the year.

"We are thinking of being a host to invite political groups and the military to talk and find a reconciliation to unlock the political impasse. The EC commissioners all agree that the two announcement should be lifted faster," Sodsri said.

She said the two announcements should be lifted before the referendum on the new constitution is held. "To hold a public referendum needs cooperation from all parties, especially politicians who can influence local people to vote in the referendum," she said.

If there were no political disturbances, the two announcements could be lifted in July, she thought.

CNS secretary general General Winai Pattiyakul said that the CNS would decide at the end of the month, or after the constitution draft was completed, when the two announcements could be dropped.

CNS chief general Sonthi Boonyaratglin admitted that it was hard to find out who was funding the anti-government campaigns. He denied that the government and CNS were having conflicts.