"Election delay"

Since relevant agencies have failed to publish the electoral Royal Decree to announce a date for the national elections, uncertainty over whether the vote will even be held has become a top concern, a Suan Dusit poll learned recently. 

GROUP THREATENS TO TAKE TO STREETS IF ROYAL DECREE NOT PUBLISHED BY TODAY

PRIME MINISTER Prayut Chan-o-cha appeared to admit for the first time yesterday that the expected election date would be altered after weeks of uncertainty.

WITH THE government failing to fix the date for the election and pushing for it to be delayed by a month, pro-election groups are rallying for a show of strength both in and out of Bangkok to put pressure on the ruling junta.

DEPUTY Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam yesterday said the election will take place no later than March and the Royal Decree will be issued within this month.

PRESSURE is mounting on the government to clarify the timing of the general election, as protests spread yesterday beyond Bangkok, in the North and Northeast.

WITH THE government concerned that post-election activities might overlap with the coronation of His Majesty the King in May, a political scientist warns that delaying the vote might do both voters and the junta regime more harm than good.

Left holding a hot potato to determine the election date, the Election Commission (EC) on Friday said it was ready to hold an election and was only waiting for the government to issue the royal decree.

THE ELECTION Commission (EC) declared yesterday that the drawing up of new constituency boundaries will be completed by the end of this month despite a recent junta order allowing the agency extra time.

The National Legislative Assembly (NLA) member Mahannop Dechwitak yesterday said that he would stop pushing for an amendment to the already enacted Election Commission (EC) bill following criticism that the change would further delay an election.

THE SENATE selection bill will be submitted to the Constitutional Court for review today after the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) and the Constitution Drafting Commission (CDC) failed to agree on certain issues.

THE LEGISLATIVE assembly’s unexpected and unprecedented rejection of all seven candidates nominated as new Election Commission members could be yet another excuse for an election delay, although government figures have dismissed the possibility.