Thailand’s interim prime minister, who seized power in a military coup, suggested yesterday that the country’s next elections may not occur until 2016, although he earlier set a target date of October 2015.
Prayuth Chan-ocha, who was army commander when he toppled an elected government in May, said he could not control the implementation of a roadmap he established earlier, which called for a new constitution in July 2015 and a general election about three months later.
“Don’t push me too much on this,” Prayuth told reporters ahead of his departure for Italy, where he is to attend a summit of Asian and European leaders. “I’ve already said it, so that’s the end. Everything depends on the roadmap, so the issue is whether we can follow the roadmap or not.” He said he alone could not finish the process.
Prayuth has consistently maintained that the October 2015 date was a provisional one, contingent on a series of post-coup measures proceeding smoothly. He has said that criticism of the process could slow the schedule. Criticism is effectively criminalized under regulations imposed by the army after its takeover, and martial law remains in effect.
Reporters asked him about the election date after Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam, a legal expert, said the polls might not take place until 2016 because of the need to pass legislation for holding elections. Thailand has suffered from political instability since 2006, when an earlier military coup ousted then-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.