Political ban might ease if local elections allowed : Prawit

 

File photo : Prawit

 

Restrictions on political activities might be relaxed, but only to pave the way for tambon and municipal elections, Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan said on Monday.

 

He did not elaborate. The comment came after his fellow deputy PM, Wissanu Krea-ngam, said last week that the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) was considering allowing local elections at various levels.

 

Wissanu said the military junta had discussed the matter with Interior Ministry officials and it was possible that the ban on political gatherings would be lifted to facilitate the elections.

 

The NCPO ban prohibits political parties from holding meetings. Calls for the ban to be eased increased after Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha announced that a national election might be held in 2019. 

 

Prawit said that, if local elections are allowed, candidates will be asked not to criticise the junta or otherwise stir up conflict.

Meanwhile, National Legislative Assembly president Pornpetch Wichitcholchai said he would discuss with assembly whips this week the possibility of local elections being held. 

 

The assembly’s committee on local administration would examine pertinent laws that the government and Interior Ministry might want reviewed to facilitate local elections, he said.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30331481

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-11-13

Prawit says ban on political activities may be eased for local election

By Thai PBS

 

 

The Government may lift ban on political activities for local elections, Deputy Prime Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwan said on Monday (Nov 13).

 

The lifting of the ban came as political parties are calling on the military junta to “unlock” political parties or to ease restrictions on political activities, reasoning that the military junta itself had given the promise to lift the ban after the end of the Royal Cremation ceremony and the one-year mourning period.

 

Gen Prawit who is in charge of national security matters, said the ban might be eased for local election first.

 

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/prawit-says-ban-political-activities-may-eased-local-election/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2017-11-13

 

24 minutes ago, webfact said:

Prawit said that, if local elections are allowed, candidates will be asked not to criticise the junta or otherwise stir up conflict

We all saw it coming! The next elections will be as fair as the rigged referendum on the new constitution! Same tricks again!

As I've said before, it's all just a piece of theatre. Reading between the lines, I'd say he's suggesting that candidates who do not support the junta will not be able to run. 

I would hope a political activity ban is eased for something that required political activity.