Protest leaders demand poll agency postpone election

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BANGKOK, Dec 17 – Protest leaders met with the Election Commission (EC) today demanding that the general election scheduled for Feb 2 be postponed.

Protest leader Somsak Kosaisuk went to the EC headquarters this morning to meet with poll agency chairman Supachai Somcharoen and the commissioners in person.

Mr Somsak read a petition, signed by People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) leader Suthep Thaugsuban, urging postponement of the election.

The anti-government allies however emphasised that they were not rejecting the election, but that they support the country’s reform first before the election is held.

Without the reform, there will be chaos and fraud during the upcoming election, the key protest leader said.

Meanwhile, National Security Council (NSC) secretary-general Lt Gen Paradorn Pattanathabut said the continuing political rally will persist but the protest leaders might scale down their activities

during the New Year celebrations.

The NSC chief said the anti-government protest leaders will mobilise their crowds again after New Year celebrations.

Currently, he said, the Network of Students and People for Reform of Thailand, a PDRC ally, has been spearheading active moves against the interim government.

They have shown some signs of violence, but Gen Paradorn said he believes that the Thai public will be able to celebrate their New Year as usual, as no violence has occurred recently,.