Some law students had complained to daily newspaper Thai Post about a problem that was uncomfortable for them to answer in the final exam held on March 11.

The test asked: "If you are a judge and you were invited by coup makers to work for them for a salary more than you receive now, will you accept the work or not and why?"

"Pongthep composed such a question innocently so that students could show their critical thinking. Not only students but other people should also give thought to the issue," Kittisak said.

Examples concerning judges' ethics include whether they should accept double the salary for double the work, he said.

"What is more important is how a lecturer marks students who answer questions with courage. If the students feel that they didn't get a fair score on their bold answer, they can lodge a complaint to remove the lecturer," Kittisak said.

Constitution drafter Wicha Mahakhun wondered if an ulterior motive was behind Pongthep's question, saying he understood why the students felt uneasy because they were forced to choose whether to answer to get a good score or to give a fair, critical view.

"What if I ask that in this case does the judge receive a salary with transparency or through corruption?" he said.

In the same way, if a politician was appointed by Parliament as a committee member, should he accept meeting allowances?

Pongthep, who was a judge before entering the political arena, said he would respond in a press conference today.