Political ban to be lifted Tuesday
Poll campaigns to begin in earnest Jan 2
After repeated delays, the regime has announced it will lift the ban on political activities on Tuesday when the law on the election of MPs takes effect, allowing parties to resume the activities necessary to prepare for the officially confirmed Feb 24 poll.
However, election campaigning will not be allowed until Jan 2 when a royal decree calling for that poll date is published in the Royal Gazette.
That means political parties will have less than two months to win over voters casting their ballots.
The poll date was confirmed at yesterday’s meeting between the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) and representatives of political parties at the Army Club on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road in Bangkok.
Also present were representatives from the government, the National Legislative Assembly, the Election Commission (EC) and the Constitution Drafting Committee.
At the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam spelled out the election time frame, saying the NCPO will on Tuesday revoke all nine orders and announcements which prohibit political activities when the election of MPs act is enacted.
The NCPO at present has only relaxed the ban, allowing parties to hold meetings to select party executives, recruit members, give opinions on the demarcation of constituencies, and conduct primary votes to choose poll candidates.
The regime has so far maintained its ban on public gatherings of more than five people, as well on political campaigning.
Once the royal decree is announced, those prohibitions will be lifted and the parties can proceed with campaigning, he said.
The enforcement of the MP election act will kick-start the countdown to the poll, Mr Wissanu said.
He said a royal decree calling for the implementation of this will be published in the Royal Gazette on Jan 2.
On Jan 4, the EC will formally announce the poll date and the new demarcation of poll constituencies, he said.
This is due to be followed by election candidacy applications, which will open between Jan 14-18. Parties will also have to submit their lists of up to three prime ministerial candidates to the EC during this period.
The EC will then announce the lists of candidates contesting the constituency system and party-list candidates on Jan 25.
Overseas voting will be held between Feb 4-16 and advance voting will take place on Feb 17, Mr Wissanu said.
He went on to say that April 25 would be the last day for the announcement of poll results and April 28 the last day for the NCPO to finalise the list of 250 appointed senators before submitting it for royal endorsement.
Under the constitution, parliament will convene its first meeting within 15 days of the poll results being announced, or on May 9 at the latest, Mr Wissanu said.
The meeting will select the House speaker and Senate speaker, which will be followed by the process to nominate a new prime minister.
The NCPO will officially step down from power when the new cabinet is sworn in, Mr Wissanu said.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, acting as chair, said the meeting marked the first step toward restoring democracy in Thailand and that he appreciated the cooperation of the parties who took part.
“This is the first step for Thailand to move toward democracy. The meeting is aimed at creating an understanding and confidence for all involved to carry out their duties. This will also create a climate of unity and reconciliation,” he said
“For some parties that failed to show up, I don’t know their real reasons, or whether they want to cooperate with others,” Gen Prayut said.
After emerging from the two-hour meeting, the prime minister appeared in good spirits as he talked to reporters. “The meeting went well. Everything was fine. Everyone understood each other well,” Gen Prayut said.
A total of 225 representatives from 75 political parties, out of a total of 111 parties, attended the meeting. None from the two major parties, the Democrats and Pheu Thai, showed up.
Also absent were those from the Future Forward Party and parties affiliated with Pheu Thai such as Thai Raksa Chart.
Nat Laoseesawakul, the EC deputy secretary-general, said the cabinet has approved the draft of the royal decree on the election of MPs.
All will proceed according to the road map leading to the poll, Mr Nat said.
Sora-at Klinprathum, chief adviser to the Bhumjaithai Party, said all parties would be on an equal footing.