Thailand Poll May Be Held On July 1 Or 2: Suthep

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Poll may be held on July 1 or 2: Suthep

By The Nation

Published on March 23, 2011

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban predicted yesterday that the election would be held on July 1 or 2, pending a final decision by a Election Commission.

Suthep also dismissed speculation that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva was poised to dissolve the House on May 3 to pave way for a snap election on June 26.

"Abhisit has repeatedly said he would dissolve the House by the first week of May without mentioning a specific date."

He said the House dissolution would hinge on the passage of organic bills on the revamp of the electoral system.

A realistic date to dissolve the House would be between May 7 and May 10, he said, adding the ballot should take place within 45 to 60 days.

Cabinet ministers were informed yesterday about three draft poll laws that the Election Commission has submitted to the House.

Deputy government spokesman Watchara Kannikar said Cabinet was officially informed the EC had sent three drafts to the House. They contain amendments to the MPs and Senators Election Act, the Political Parties Act and the EC Act.

Meanwhile, Puea Pandin Party has questioned whether a snap election could take place, as promised by the PM.

Party deputy leader Sithichai Kowsurat claimed yesterday the ballot might not take place and the next government would be formed regardless of the poll.

"A rumour has spread that the Election Commission would quit and that the election could not be held as planned," he said.

The EC threatened to resign if the government forced it to organise balloting without the sanction of relevant organic laws, he claimed.

Given legislative constraints, the government was unlikely to be able to push for the passage of the organic laws to revamp the electoral system within a month, he said.

Failure to enact the organic laws would force Abhisit to step down, he said, voicing suspicion that an "outside power" would intervene to form a new government without holding an election.

"No election and no MPs - this will lead to an extraordinary intervention to form the government, perhaps based on Article 7 of the Constitution," he said, in reference to the provision to avoid a power vacuum.

-- The Nation 2011-03-23