Spokesman: 'No delay' in 2017 election

Spokesman: 'No delay' in 2017 election

Lt Gen Sansern Kaewkamnerd (left), director of government information: There will an election in late 2017 for sure. Surachai Liangboonlertchai, vice-president, National Legislative Assembly: No, there won't. (File photos)
Lt Gen Sansern Kaewkamnerd (left), director of government information: There will an election in late 2017 for sure. Surachai Liangboonlertchai, vice-president, National Legislative Assembly: No, there won't. (File photos)

The government will stick to its roadmap of holding a general election late this year, according to government spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd.

Lt Gen Sansern on Tuesday brushed aside remarks by Surachai Liangboonlertchai, vice-president of the National Legislative Assembly (NLA), that a general election was unlikely to take place late this year as expected.

Mr Surachai earlier said he believed the polls could be held in the middle of 2018. The NLA has its hands full this year, gearing up for 10 organic bills and 50 other related legislation drafts.

The assembly is also expected to scrutinise about 40 bills which have been marked as urgent by the cabinet, he said.

Lt Gen Sansern insisted the schedule for the general election expected late this year will remain unchanged.

National Council for Peace and Order spokesman Piyapong Klinpan also assured the election will take place according to the original time frame.

Also Tuesday, Surapong Tovichakchaikul, who was foreign minister in the Yingluck Shinawatra government, urged Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to keep his promise of holding an election this year.

Gen Prayut had repeatedly said during meetings with international leaders that his government will follow the roadmap and the election will take place late this year.

"Gen Prayut's word is regarded as a social contract and everybody has trust in him," Mr Surapong said.

He added that other countries are keeping a close watch on whether the prime minister will prolong his grip on power, whether the government will be able to bring about national unity and solve political conflicts, whether the justice system in the country will be fair to all sides, and what will happen to freedom of expression.

Former Democrat Party MP Watchara Phetthong said Mr Surachai might have tried to act on Gen Prayut's behalf in trying to delay the schedule for the election so Gen Prayut would not be criticised for breaking his promise.

Mr Watchara said the NLA could pass laws in a short time, so the excuse the assembly will have to spend the whole year deliberating legislative bills was unwarranted.

Mr Watchara also said he did not believe the election would take place late this year as expected. He said no matter how long the military government remains in power, it is important it steps up efforts to solve issues that affect the daily lives of ordinary people.

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