Despite disruption of early voting and a court ruling which threatened delay, Sunday’s election will go forward.
The government and the Election Commission announced yesterday they’ve agreed to go hold the snap poll on Feb. 2, as originally scheduled after parliament was dissolved nearly two months ago. The government said it had no power to delay the poll while the commission asked the administration to deal with obstructions to the election.
Deputy Prime Minister Pongthep Thepkarnchana and commission Chairman Supachai Somcharoen announced results last night after meeting yesterday. Pongthep said the two parties still disagreed on the matter since the government believed that election postponement was not a solution to the political standoff. The commission however believed problems would arise if the poll went forward on Sunday.
The commission eventually consented to organize the national poll, Mr Pongthep said. The minister confirmed the government was ready to provide full support for the commission in line with the laws and to tackle disruption without using force.
Meanwhile, commissioner Somchai said it would take longer than four to six months until there were enough MPs to open a parliamentary session. Furthermore, all votes for party-list MPs could not be counted if just one polling station failed to arrange the election or count votes.
For those constituencies unable to conduct absentee polls this past Sunday due to disruption by protesters, Somchai said the commission would organize special by-elections, NNT reported.
Photo: Tevaprapas Makklay
