Thais are now officially off to a general election, sometime in the first few weeks of May this year.
Thailand’s PM, Prayut Chan-o-cha, has dissolved the House of Representatives, paving the way for a general election that is expected to be held in early May. The announcement was made in the Royal Gazette and took immediate effect. The announcement was countersigned by the Thai PM and HM the King
According to the country’s constitution, a general election must be held between 45 and 60 days of the House dissolution. The Election Commission is required to announce the date for the election within five days of the House being dissolved. It is speculated that the election will be held on either Sunday, May 7 or 14.
The House dissolution was anticipated and took place just two days before the end of the current four-year term of the House. The previous general election was held on March 24, 2019.
Prayut is expected to make a political comeback as a prime ministerial candidate of the newly-formed United Thai Nation Party, which he recently joined. He has not decided if he’s going to run as an MP at this stage. If he was to return as the nominated prime minster by a joint sitting of the two houses of the new parliament, he would only be able to serve up to 2025, according to a decision of the Constitutional Court last year.
PM Prayut chose to wear his military uniform for the announcement
The majority of major political parties have already launched their election campaigns in anticipation of the House dissolution. The current opposition Pheu Thai party is expected to poll strongly and is anticipated to get the highest number of primary votes in May.
