Thai Constitutional Court rules February 2 polls can be delayed
Print Edition
Thailand’s Constitutional Court ruled yesterday that controversial elections scheduled for next month can be delayed due to deadly political unrest, adding to pressure on the embattled premier following weeks of mass opposition protests.
Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has refused to step down or delay the vote following nearly three months of street rallies aimed at ousting her elected government and installing an unelected “people’s council.”
The main opposition party is boycotting the February 2 election, while protesters have vowed to disrupt voting, saying reforms are needed to tackle corruption and vote-buying before polls are held in around a year to 18 months.
While ruling that the February 2 vote can legally be postponed, the Constitutional Court said it was the joint responsibility of Yingluck and the chairman of the Election Commission to make that decision.
The government had previously rejected the commission’s call to delay the polls, noting that under the constitution an election should normally be held no more than 60 days after the dissolution of parliament, which happened in early December.
Yingluck’s Puea Thai Party said it was still studying the court ruling.
“If the election is postponed, would the protesters stop? Would the opposition join the election?” party spokesman Prompong Nopparit said.
Nine people have been killed and hundreds hurt in grenade attacks, drive-by shootings and street clashes since the protests began at the end of October.
On Thursday, protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban threatened to “close every route” to polling stations, saying the polls would not be allowed to take place.
A survey by Bangkok University released yesterday showed that nearly 80 percent of roughly 1,000 respondents planned to vote next month.
But some southern constituencies have no candidates because demonstrators blocked registrations, so even if Yingluck’s party wins it may not have enough MPs to appoint a government.
The protesters have staged a self-styled “shutdown” of Bangkok since January 13, erecting roadblocks and rally stages.
The government on Tuesday declared a 60-day state of emergency in Bangkok and surrounding areas to deal with the unrest.
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