Quote:The prime minister and the Election Commission agreed Monday to hold the next election on December 23.

EC Chairman Apichart Sukkhakhanont said Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont and the EC reached a common stand that Dec 23 would be the best timing for holding the poll.

TheNation

General election officially scheduled for December 23

BANGKOK, Aug 27 (TNA) – A general election has been officially scheduled for December 23, the first general election since the coup that ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra last year.

Prime Minister Gen. Surayud Chulanont, who on Monday discussed election schedules with the Election Commission headed by Apichart Sukhagganond at Government House, said the government had decided to confirm the December 23 date earlier mooted for the general election, which is intended to be held in a fair and clean fashion.

A royal decree for the election will be issued very shortly after the organic laws of the constitution have passed through the legislative process by the end of October.

Applications to contest parliamentary seats nationwide are likely to open in early November, the premier said.

Gen. Surayud said requests for the lifting of martial law in certain constituencies are yet to be taken into account, but he gave assurances that safety precautions will be provided by the police and other authorities nationwide as in the case of the recent public referendum.

The Election Commission chief commented that the general election should see a good voter-turnout, considering that of the referendum earlier this month and said the polling agency would combat vote-buying scams.

The announcement of the election date came just one week after Thai voters endorsed the recently-drafted charter in the kingdom's first referendum. 58 per cent of voters approved the charter, while 41 per cent voted against it.

Voters the Northeast and the upper North voted against the charter in the largest numbers.

The North and Northeastern regions are considered political strongholds of the now disbanded Thai Rak Thai Party, founded by ousted prime minister Thaksin who was overthrown by military coup last year. The party was disbanded in May due to election fraud.

TNA