BANGKOK, Jan 23 (TNA) – Thailand’s Election Commission
(EC) on Wednesday announced March 24 as the date for a long-awaited general
election, the first since the military staged the coup and seized power in
2014.
After a royal decree calling for a general election was
issued Wednesday morning, the EC called a meeting in the afternoon to set the
election date and determine other electoral processes.
The EC later announced that it set the date on March 24 as
widely expected.
Following delays, it will be Thailand’s first election in
almost five years since the military junta seized power in a coup in 2014.
The military junta and the government led by Prime Minister
Prayut Chan-o-cha had earlier promised to hold the election on February 24 but
later cited that the date would lead to political activities overlapping the
Coronation Ceremony in early May.
Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam, who is in charge of
legal affairs, said earlier on Wednesday that the EC was responsible to
announce the polling date, candidate registration and other process within five
days after the Royal Decree was announced.
It is speculated that Prime Minister Prayut might reveal the
political party that wishes to nominate him as prime minister candidate.
Wissanu said it depended
on Prayut and other candidates because the law required political parties to
present their candidates for prime minister no later than MP application
period.(TNA)
