Thailand: EC won’t delay poll, promises Wissanu

• Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said on 13 Nov 18 there was no reason to delay the general election again and it will proceed as planned.
• It has tentatively been scheduled for Feb 24. Reacting to fears the Election Commission (EC) could throw a spanner in the works as it has not finished redrawing constituency boundaries, he said the demarcation process would not jeopardise the election roadmap.
• “The EC will set and announce the election date after discussing the matter with parties concerned. So far there is no reason [to postpone the polls] and there’s no chance the EC will not be ready. If the elections are delayed, it will be because of others,” he said.
• Last week the government unveiled a new timeline. A longheld ban on parties engaging in political activities is expected to be lifted shortly after the law on the election of MPs is enacted on Dec 11.
• While an election must be held within 150 days of that law taking effect — meaning May 9 at the latest — Feb 24 has been presented as the most appropriate date. A new parliament is expected to be inaugurated in May 19.
• The deputy premier said the new timeline did not take into consideration whether or not the general election would be postponed.
• He said the government saw the need to announce it to let all stakeholders know what to expect in the coming weeks and months.

External Link: https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/politics/1575270/ec-wont-delay-poll-promises-wissanu