Pornpetch scoffs at Aug 2018 election talk

The next general election will likely be held in November or December next year after all organic bills for the new constitution are enacted, National Legislative Assembly (NLA) president Pornpetch Wichitcholchai says.

He was responding rumours after the Election Commission hinted the country may go to the polls in August 2018.

Mr Pornpetch said if all organic bills are enacted into law on schedule this would take us past August so it is more likely the poll will take place in November or December.

The NLA has 60 days to deliberate and pass organic bills and another five days to forward legislation to the prime minister who will then submit the bills to the palace for royal endorsement, Mr Pornpetch said, adding the NLA has now finished deliberating half the total number of organic bills.

Lawmakers are currently debating the bill on the state audit commission, Mr Pornpetch said.

Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) chairman Meechai Ruchupan yesterday said the date of the general election will become clearer after the final two organic bills — one on the election of MPs and the other on the Senate — are enacted.

The CDC has not yet begun drawing up the two bills as it is currently busy drafting another important bill on the National AntiCorruption Commission which involves many details and requires a great deal of time, Mr Meechai said. He was not sure when it would be complete.

Once the NACC bill draft is complete, the CDC will have about 45 days to draft the bills on MP election and the Senate, he said.

Mr Meechai admitted he was worried about the short time frame for these two bills.

The CDC may have to work at weekends in order to get them finished in time, he said.

Despite this, the CDC chairman said he was confident the CDC would meet the 240-day deadline to finish all organic bills, starting from the constitution’s promulgation on April 6, and forward them to the NLA for deliberation.