Bangkok – The government will summon representatives of all registered political parties to determine an election date this June.
Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha told reporters that political parties will be invited to a meeting some time in June to discuss possible dates for the forthcoming general election and plans to move the nation forward.
The meeting is not mandatory, he said, as parties can make their own decision on whether to join, but those failing to attend should be able to answer questions from the public.
Gen Prayut noted that the meeting is not for the government and the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) to learn about parties’ policies but is meant for parties to share thoughts and ideas to address issues like corruption and wildlife poaching and how they plan to maintain the reform roadmap after taking office.
Since the beginning of March, prospective parties have been submitting registration documents to the Election Commission. The last day of registration is March 31.
The premier said the NCPO has not yet talked about unlocking restrictions on political activities while meetings between party members will be allowed on a case-by-case basis.
