King Maha Vajiralongkorn (Source: straitstimes.com)Hanoi (VNA) – Thailand’s Election Commission announced on January 23that the country’s much delayed general election to restore a civiliangovernment will be held on March 24.
This will be the first general electionin the country after the military coup in 2014.
In December last year, the Election Commission said the general election would beorganised on February 24, but the military government expressed concern that election-relatedevents would affect the early preparation for the coronation of KingMaha Vajiralongkorn, which is slated for May 4-6.
According to the plan announced by Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Kreagram inNovember 2018, the election was previously scheduled to take place on February24, 2019 with 350 constituencies, while its results were to be made public twomonths later. On April 27, a list of 250 elected parliament members will besubmitted to the royal family for approval. On May 8, the new parliament will beginoperation and select its Speakers of the Senate and House of Representatives,as well as the new PM.
After the 2014 coup, the National Council forPeace and Order of Thailand has attempted to decide a date for the generalelection multiple times, but it has been continuously delayed for reasonsrelated to the Constitution and legislation issues.
In December 2018, the military government ofThailand lifted a ban on political activities to allow parties to carry out electioncampaigns. –VNA
VNA
