Thailand's next general election postponed from July 20

BANGKOK, May 15 (TNA) - The caretaker government says it is likely that Thailand's next general election will be postponed from July 20 by one week, after anti-government protesters blocked an election date discussion between the caretaker government and the Election Commission of Thailand (EC) on Thursday morning. Caretaker Minister Attached to the Prime Minister's Office Varathep Rattanakorn, who attended the election talks, told journalists of the likeliness, pointing out that the attempt of the anti-government People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) protesters to break into the discussion venue caused authorities concerned to end the meeting early to prevent a clash and the government might discuss holding the next general election with the EC in a video conference later. Varathep revealed that, at Thursday morning's discussion, the EC informed that election regulations were amended to permit online candidacy registrations and the amended regulations have already been published in the Royal Gazette. Varathep explained that, as the next general election date could not be concluded at the caretaker government-EC discussion, a royal decree on setting the new general election date cannot be issued within May 20-22 and the national poll date, earlier planned on July 20, 2014, may be postponed about a week. In response to PDRC protesters' call for the Thai Senate and some agencies to form an interim government, Varathep insisted that a government should be set up through a general election and the international community supports the practice. According to the caretaker minister, the caretaker administration is ready to discuss domestic political issues with the Senate although the Upper House has not yet contacted the caretaker government directly. After PDRC protesters disrupted the caretaker government-EC meeting, Acting Caretaker Prime Minister Niwatthamrong Bunsongphaisan did not go to work at the Office of the Permanent Secretary for Defence as usual, but he reportedly stayed at a safe house and is scheduled to visit quake victims in Chiang Rai Province in the Thai North on May 16. Tharit Pengdith, Director-General of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), told reporters, in the meantime, that officers of the caretaker government-run Center for the Administration for Peace and Order (CAPO) are trying to arrest PDRC leaders wanted under arrest warrants, including former senator Chirmsak Pinthong, who surrendered himself to public prosecutors at the Criminal Court in Bangkok on Thursday. A DSI special case expert, Police Major Yutthana Phraedam, said Chirmsak denied all charges and he was released on bail and would be brought to court within 30 days. Twenty-two companies of police are, on the other hand, guarding the demonstration site of pro-government, red-shirt demonstrators on Utthayan Road on the outskirts of Bangkok, but the rally remains peaceful. Meanwhile, more soldiers and police have been deployed with intensified security measures following violent gun and grenade attacks on Rajadamnoen Avenue, near the PDRC's main rally site, on early Thursday morning, killing three people and injuring 22 others. Deputy Police Spokesman Police Major General Anucha Romyanant acknowledged that the heightened security measures include strict searches at checkpoints and strict and frequent checks of surveillance camera footage to try to identify culprits. Police, soldiers and staffs of the Lumpini public park, the previous main rally site of the PDRC, found a number of explosives and bomb components at the public park. Concerned authorities then collected fingerprints to later look for owners. (TNA)