Talks held on new elections in southern Thai provinces

BANGKOK, March 7 (TNA) - The Election Commission of Thailand (EC) has sought opinions of parties concerned on organising elections in 14 southern provinces. Election commissioners conferred with representatives from five political parties, governors and security officers of 14 southern provinces on holding rerun elections in the 14 southern provinces in Hat Yai of Songkhla Province on Friday morning, after the general election could not be held in the provinces on February 2 due to anti-government protests. The discussions were focused on whether it is possible to organise elections in the provinces. There were even no candidates contesting in 28 constituencies of eight southern provinces in the February 2 general election due to the blockade by the anti-government People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) protesters. Before the meeting began, a group of local PDRC protesters submitted a letter to EC Chairman Supachai Somcharoen, urging the election agency to consider peace in the country and to seriously move on domestic political reform, demanded by PDRC, before organising the new elections. The PDRC protesters continued gathering in front of the venue of the meeting amid tight security provided by police and defence volunteers. No untoward incident was reported. Opinions gathered from Friday's meeting will be raised at an EC meeting on March 11, 2014. (TNA)