Thai EC:Politicians can seek newly-agreed general election date

BANGKOK, December 21 (TNA) - The Election Commission of Thailand (EC) says that politicians can seek a newly-agreed general election date through talks. All the five newly-appointed election commissioners told a press conference this week that, as a different opinion has developed between people who support Thailand's general election on February 2, 2014 and those who oppose it and if the difference remains, the national polling will not be smooth and some parties may not accept its results, the government, representatives of anti-government demonstrators and other concerned parties should, therefore, hold talks to set a new general election date, which is legally possible. The EC acknowledged that politicians are in the position to work out a postponement of a general election and there should not be a legal problem to the effect. The EC explained that it does not have a mandate to postpone a general election by itself and if the election is not eventually put off, the EC must organize the new general election on February 2, 2014 as scheduled. Meanwhile, Police Major General Piya Uthayo, Spokesman of the Center for the Administration of Peace and Order (CAPO), told journalists that police will ensure safety during the application of election candidates nationwide, starting on December 23. The CAPO spokesman said police will also guarantee order during vote campaigns and on advance voting and voting dates, along with observing vote counting at more than 100,000 polling units nationwide. Regarding a planned mass rally of the anti-government People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) on December 22, the CAPO spokesman noted that police would focus on safety and traffic management. According to the CAPO spokesman, the demonstrators will reportedly march past 27 foreign embassies and Thai police have coordinated security measures with staffs of the embassies. (TNA)