The state of emergency will not have any bearing on campaign activities for the July 25 by-election in Bangkok's Constituency 6, Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said yesterday.
Electoral candidates should not have any worries if they act with honest intent to gain votes, he said, confirming that the ban on public assembly involving more than five people would not apply to campaign rallies.
Suthep said elections and by-elections had taken place several times without any problem in the three southernmost provinces under the state of emergency.
National Security Council secretary-general Thawil Pliensri said the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES) had already allowed political parties to hold their activities regardless of the ban on public assembly.
"I don't see the state of emergency causing any problems to campaign speeches and rallies," he said.
Thawil said the ban was meant to prevent the instigation of violence and agitation. He dismissed the concern that the CRES might try to regulate the campaigning. Electoral candidates could go ahead with holding rallies and push for votes without seeking prior permission from the CRES, he said.
Meanwhile, the ruling Democrat Party yesterday decided to field vice minister for foreign affairs Panich Vikitsreth in the by-election, according to party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva. Vitoon Nambutr, a member of the party's selection committee, said Panich was chosen from six nominees.
The by-election is to fill the MP seat left vacant after the recent passing away of Democrat MP Thiwa Ngoenyuang, who died of cancer.
The opposition Pheu Thai Party's executive board is scheduled to convene today to select its candidate to contest the by-election, according to party MP Jatuporn Promphan. He said Natthawut Saikua, his fellow red-shirt leader who is being held in remand in connection with the recent anti-government rally, would be among the nominees.
Vicharn Meenchainant, another Pheu Thai MP, said yesterday the party's executive committee would select the candidate from seven nominees.
The New Politics Party, the political arm of the yellow-shirt People's Alliance for Democracy, is scheduled to convene its executive board tomorrow to select the party's candidate for the by-election, party spokesman Samran Rodphet said yesterday.