‘Election, but maybe no new govt’
THE NEXT general election will definitely take place next year but a new government may not be formed by the end of the year, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said Wednesday.
He said Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha had repeatedly maintained over the past year that the next election would be held in 2017, in line with the post-coup road map for a return to democracy.
However, Wissanu said “unforeseeable factors” could make it unlikely for a new administration to be formed within 2017, adding that it would take about two months for official election results to be announced after the vote. Under the new electoral system, a single ballot will be used for both constituency and party-list MPs, which would be unprecedented in Thailand.
“Due to the new voting and vote-count systems, the political party with the most votes will not be guaranteed to form the government. The one that fails to get the most votes may succeed,” the deputy premier said.
After the election results are announced, there will be a process concerning the opening of Parliament to select a new prime minister, he said.
“Please be fair to the government. The road map will be followed but there may be some factors that cannot be seen today. There could be some changes or adjustments. But today we insist there will be election in 2017,” Wissanu said.
