Election goes ahead, but no parliament likely for months

It will likely take months before a new parliament can be convened despite the green light for Sunday's general election, the EC says.

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Caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Phongthep Thepkanchana (left) and EC member Somchai Srisuthiyakorn announce that despite their differences, the Feb 2 election will be held. CHANAT KATANYU

Poll process to drag on for months

EC fails to persuade govt to delay Sunday election

POST REPORTERS

The decision by the government and the Election Commission (EC) yesterday to proceed with this Sunday's election means the process will not be completed for several months.

The process of calling new elections in problematic constituencies primarily in Bangkok and in the South means an extended election process which could last up to six months, a senior government source said after the meeting.

The prospect of the election proceeding amid rising tension and difficulties arose yesterday after the EC failed to convince the caretaker government to defer the poll.

After two-hours of talks, EC member Somchai Srisuthiyakorn and caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Phongthep Thepkanchana said the poll is still on because neither can sort out their differences.

It is not perfect but the process will "stumble on", the senior source said, adding the government stuck to its view that postponing the elections would raise legal complications.

The government went into the meeting with the EC with the view that while the Constitution Court ruled that the election could be postponed and that the government and EC were to work out the details, there was no legal precedent for a postponement.

The government source believes it would come as no surprise if a petition to nullify Sunday's election is filed with the Constitution Court.

The government is prepared for this eventuality, the source said. In this scenario, it would still take months before a new election date could be set.

As a result the government would be prepared to engage in further talks with its opponents to seek a resolution to the ongoing political crisis that has plagued the country for months.

Admittedly, such a situation means that the administration of the country will not be smooth as the current charter restricts the power of the caretaker government, the source said.

The government also believes that if Sunday's polls are postponed there is a greater potential for violence as supporters of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship, or red shirts, would mobilise raising the possibility of confrontation with anti-government protesters.

Disgruntled Finance Ministry staff join PDRC leader Suthep Thuagsuban on the Pathumwan stage last night where he vowed to escalate the fight against the Feb 2 election. THITI WANNAMONTHA

People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) leader Suthep Thaugsuban told demonstrators at the Pathumwan rally site last night that the PDRC would escalate its protest to block Sunday's election.

"For PDRC in every province, let's prepare to use all means not to let the election be a success. We will escalate our protest to oust [caretaker Prime Minister] Yingluck [Shinawatra] and her subordinates before Feb 2," he said.

Mr Somchai told reporters the EC laid out a number of obstacles and difficulties at yesterday's meeting and warned it might take as long as six months to form a new government, but the government sees things differently.

"The government says voting should be organised until we have all the MPs. So this means we can't agree on the postponement," said Mr Somchai.

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