Thai EC:New elections can’t be held within 30 days after Feb 2

BANGKOK, February 22 (TNA) - An election commissioner says that new elections, especially in 28 constituencies in eight southern Thai provinces, cannot be organised within 30 days after the February 2 general election, which was marred by anti-government protests. The election commissioner, Somchai Srisuthiyakorn, who is in charge of election administration, insisted on Saturday that it is impossible, under the prevailing situation, for the Election Commission of Thailand (EC) to organise new elections by March 4, 2014 as demanded by the caretaker government. Somchai told reporters that he believed the caretaker government would understand the limit faced by the EC, especially in the 28 southern constituencies, where there have been no application by election contestants yet. Somchai acknowledged that several parties are putting efforts to organise negotiations between conflicting parties, the caretaker government and political protesters, to settle their differences but the general atmosphere is still not conducive. Somchai, thus, urged both the caretaker government and the anti-government People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) to be more compromise to make negotiations become possible, as talks are considered the only way to help settle their differences. According to the election commissioner, the EC will, in the meantime, invite representatives of the caretaker government's all four coalition parties to visit Songkhla Province in the Thai South on March 7, 2014 to learn local EC officials' operational problems and obstacles themselves and to discuss with parties concerned, including local PDRC protesters, to find an agreed solution. Meanwhile, Anusorn Iamsa-ard, deputy spokesman of the ruling Pheu Thai Party blasted a movement allegedly aimed to try to create a political vacuum in Thailand. Without naming the movement, Anusorn claimed people behind the "movement" are trying to implement four last steps, including filing legal suits against Caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, causing Yingluck and her Cabinet's members to be banned from politics consequently, putting efforts to relieve her administration from acting as the caretaker government, as the Thai House of Representatives cannot be opened after the February 2 general election, and punishing former 308 MPs and senators who had signed for constitutional amendments. The Pheu Thai deputy spokesman indicated those behind the "movement" plan to realise their goals by this year's Songkran or traditional Thai New Year festival in mid April, which coincides with the timing earlier announced by PDRC core leaders. (TNA)