Thailand’s Election Commission said on January 27 that it will suggest the February 2 election be delayed for six months at the upcoming talks with Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.
Somchai Srisuthiyakorn, commissioner in charge of election management, said the six-month delay is the right time frame. It allows the government to resolve conflicts in society.
He also noted that it is necessary to restart the election and that the outcomes of the advance voting on January 26 should be annulled.
The commission is scheduled to meet the PM on January 28 to discuss the election. Earlier, it proposed, many times, that the Thai cabinet plans a new election in a bid to evade turbulence and violence at polling stations, especially in the capital city Bangkok and southern provinces.
The government claimed it is willing to listen to the EC’s suggestions at the forthcoming meeting.
The same day, the ruling Puea Thai Party called for the election to continue as planned. Head of the Party Jarupong Ruangsuwan objected to the postponement.
Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said his party will take part in the new election. At present, the party is boycotting the February 2 polls, calling upon stakeholders to set up the appropriate timeframe for the election.
In another development, Labour Minister Chalerm Yubamrung, who also heads the government’s Centre for Maintaining Peace and Order, urged the rallies to move away from government agencies within three days from January 27 before arrest warrants for the protesters take effect.
Thai protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban said that he will not hold talks with the government on stopping the shutdown. To date, demonstrators have blockaded seven Bangkok-based ministries and other government agencies.
Clashes have claimed at least 10 lives and left 571 others injured since the protesters took to the streets of Bangkok last November.
Also on January 27, the Thai Department of Special Investigation applied to the Criminal Court for arrest warrants for 16 anti-government protest leaders, who were accused of violating the emergency decree. Suthep Thaugsuban, secretary-general of the anti-government People’s Democratic Reform Committee was top of the list.-VNA
