Academic sees pitfalls in delayed elections

BANGKOK, Jan 29 (TNA) -- An academic is warning that delaying elections will severely undermine investor and consumer confidence and can lead to political turmoil in the country. Anusorn Tamajai, the Vice President for Research and Academic Service who is also the Dean of the Faculty of Economics at Rangsit University warns that delaying general elections will result in negative consequences for Thailand. He said the government's failing to commit to an election date has created profound uncertainty for the country's future. Investors expectations of a return of democratic process has been soundly squashed because of the unclear date. He said that confidence could be restored by organisng free and fair general elections as soon as possible. The recent improvements in the national economy which has been helped by global economic expansion has greatly benefitted the export and tourist sector but delaying the return to democratic process will only open the door to greater uncertainty and could affects the momentum in Free Trade Area negotiations with the EU, US and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).