Election possible late next year, says Pornpetch

By Prapasri Osathanon 
The Nation

 

National Legislative Assembly president Pornpetch Wichitcholchai

 

Thailand’s general election may not take place until late next year, National Legislative Assembly president Pornpetch Wichitcholchai implied on Tuesday.

 

Pornpetch could not confirm when the promised election would be held, saying legislative processes could prolong the timetable.

 

Processes such as the deliberations of a joint law-review committee and the Constitutional Court need to be considered when deciding on the election date, he said.

 

The resetting of the Election Commision (EC) should not affect the time frame, he said, and the current commission members would remain in charge and continue to work until the new members took office.

 

The Constitution Drafting Commission (CDC) had 240 days from when the Constitution was promulgated in April to complete 10 organic bills. Four of which – namely the bill on the EC, the political parties, the members of House of Representatives, and the Senate – were required before an election could be held.

 

Pornpetch said the CDC had told him the last two bills on the Lower and Upper Houses would be submitted to the NLA no later than early December and the NLA can hold them for another 60 days before further proceedings. There were no reasons for any delays, he said.

 

The bills could be proposed for royal endorsement after the NLA’s deliberation, he said. 

 

He said it was normal that a joint law-review committee was set up as involved agencies could not agree on stipulations. Only the bill on the legal procedures against politicians had passed smoothly, but only because the courts had not been allowed by the Constitution to raise objections.

 

“So, we’d have to see whether the two bills on the MPs and the Senate would also need a review by the joint committee,” the NLA president said. They were difficult because opinions of both the people and political parties had to be heeded, he said. 

 

If they failed to pass the NLA, Pornpetch said the CDC would need to redo the work. But it should not take long because the circumstance would force it to be quick. 

 

As there is concern that this could delay the election, Pornpetch said the CDC would have to speed up the work, if that was necessary. He declined to give an exact time frame for rewriting the bills.

 

Asked whether reconciliation should be achieved before the election, he said it was what people wanted but it was not a requirement. The election was more about the road map, while national unity was the goal of the National Council for Peace and Order, Pornpetch said. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30327146

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-9-19

22 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Pornpetch could not confirm when the promised election would be held, saying legislative processes could prolong the timetable.

ah promises!

when?

 They are all a laughing stock... excuses and more excuses.

At this point they could just remove that stupid facade and just tell they will stay as long as they like.

Like it matters, the new constitution gives the army overriding power anyway, there will be no more democracy in Thailand until a Gadaffi/Chavez type comes to the for and removes the armies power once and for all.

His lips are moving.... beware.

With all PM Prayut's 20 year plans it is hard to expect an election before 2037.  

Maybe a reaction to the 'Super Poll':

 

2 hours ago, AGareth2 said:

ah promises!

when?

The jokesters are out in force. There will never be an election while PM Prayut keeps on offering up uninspiring 20 year plans. Twenty year plans are designed for 20 years, not for some mythical near future election. He sees himself the power to be for a very long time.

elections under this regime are irrelevant.

15 hours ago, AGareth2 said:

ah promises!

when?

Maybe, possible or doing it soon same same every year.

18 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

What Pornopatch said . . . . saying "legislative processes could prolong the timetable".

What he actually meant . . . . "We actually haven't got a clue about the date. It might help if P1 & P2 would put these pesky legislative processes fairly and squarely on the table. I nearly got my head knocked off, yesterday, when I asked them to shape themselves, with P1 playing away with iron buffalos and other history-shaping stuff. That he didn't understand 'fairly and squarely' didn't exactly help matters. But, between me, you and the gatepost, I think we're probably looking at mid 2020 . . . maybe even better . . . you never know . . .  we are trying."

Hate to play football against NLA Wanderers. They keep moving the bloody goalposts.

How many times have we heard this before?

There must be an automatic resend announcement button. 

Of course " late next year" never arrives but only stays a distant hope. The junta and cohorts knew full well that if in 2014 they said an election would not be until after 2018 Prayuth and the military may have received their just deserves.

 

Lets hope one day these baboons are dealt justice. Thai, not in government style.

There could be an election next month if the Thai citizenry would grow a pair & realize the

Junta does not have 70 million rounds of ammo

9 minutes ago, mania said:

There could be an election next month if the Thai citizenry would grow a pair & realize the

Junta does not have 70 million rounds of ammo

OK . . . I'll be right behind you . . . I've got a catapult here, if that'll help.

1 minute ago, Ossy said:

OK . . . I'll be right behind you . . . I've got a catapult here, if that'll help.

We are not Thai citizenry are we?

 

Edited September 20, 20178 yr by mania

3 minutes ago, mania said:

We are not Thai citizenry are we?

 

No chance, then

 

Now . . . if all able-bodied and even less than able-bodied farangs got together, we could make a bit of a stink.

5 minutes ago, Ossy said:

 

 

Now . . . if all able-bodied and even less than able-bodied farangs got together, we could make a bit of a stink.

555 Don't they already?    :)

31 minutes ago, mania said:

555 Don't they already?    :)

Not me, mate. I'm not called Mr Cool for nothing. Now then; how the hell can we get some warring Thai factions motivated? How's about 1 Leo for every 10 men in a pickup . . . or a U-beer if you bag a dozen.

Oh I see, from 'election next year' to 'possible election late next year'. Keep going fellas you make it 2019 without much problem eh? 

They purposely do this to give people false hope...everyone in their right mind knows it will never happen..its the poor ignorant ones that are being led to nowhere

IMHO there will be election late next year. The constitution guarantees that there will be election after certain period and must be held. More importantly, there are no more "reasons" left for the junta not stepping down. They have successfully completed their mission and more delays will stirred up resentments that the military will not like to face especially when the common people are suffering from hardships due to the mishandled economy. 

 

33 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

IMHO there will be election late next year. The constitution guarantees that there will be election after certain period and must be held. More importantly, there are no more "reasons" left for the junta not stepping down. They have successfully completed their mission and more delays will stirred up resentments that the military will not like to face especially when the common people are suffering from hardships due to the mishandled economy. 

 

Chances of a couple more events that will allow them to procrastinate even more.

Should just tell us all that it might snow in Bangkok next summer. It would be far more believable.