Bangkok, Feb 8– Thailand will hold new elections in at least seven provinces after protests in the controversial Feb 2 general election prevented voting at 10,284 out of more than 93,000 polling stations nationwide.
“After Feb 11, we will know if re-election can take place in less or more than seven provinces,” said Election Commission (EC) comissioner, Somchai Srisitthiyakorn, following a six-hour meeting at the commission here yesterday.
The seven provinces have been identified are Rayong, Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat, Petchabouri, Prachuab-Kirikhan and Satul.
Somchai said the EC would invite the provincial EC and provincial election directors to discuss the matter on Feb 11.
He said the EC sent a letter to the caretaker government seeking a new royal decree to be issued for election at 28 constituencies which had no candidates.
He said elections could not be conducted in those constituencies if the decree matter remained unclear.
However, caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Phongthep Thepkanjana said today, it was not necessary to issue a new royal decree for election in the 28 constituencies.
His reason was that each royal decree allowed the EC to hold voting until all seats were filled, or at least 95 per cent of the 500 members of parliament elected, to enable the first meeting to be convened.
-Bernama
