Justice Minister:No laws permit Thailand's postponement of new general election

BANGKOK, December 18 (TNA) - Caretaker Justice Minister Chaikasem Nitisiri has reiterated that no laws permitted the postponement of Thailand's new general election. The caretaker justice minister's remarks on Wednesday were in response to the anti-government side's proposal for the postponement of the new general election from February 2, 2014. Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva, meanwhile, warned the caretaker Thai government and the Election Commission of Thailand (EC) to be careful if they are determined to have the next general election on February 2, 2014. Abhisit said that the caretaker government and the EC should take careful considerations on the organization of the new general election and if the polling was postponed, there would be chances for concerned parties to jointly find a way out. Asked whether his party would field its candidates in the new election, Abhisit stressed that the government and the EC need to convince all parties that the next election would be fair, insisting on his party intention to protect democracy and to prevent violence, expressing an opinion if the new general election was postponed, all parties would have times to discuss a political solution to restore order and to ensure a fair election. The Democrat Party leader also expressed his hope that big demonstrations announced by the anti-government People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) from December 19-22 would be peaceful and free of arms so that they would not affect the application of election candidates, set to begin on December 23. (TNA)