Thai deputy premier predicts general election in August 2016

Thailand is expected to have a general election in August 2016 if the draft constitution sails through a referendum, which is tentatively slated for next January, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-Ngam said Sunday.

A new cabinet is expected to be sworn in by October 2016, after which the interim government and the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) will be dissolved, Wissanu was quoted by Bangkok Post as saying.

The Election Commission said earlier that if the National Reform Council (NRC) endorsed the draft charter in early September, a charter referendum could be held on Jan. 10, 2016.

If the draft charter survives the referendum, the Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) will draft organic laws in February, which will be forwarded to the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) for deliberation in March and April before going to the Constitutional Court in May, according to the deputy premier.

Once the court approves the organic laws, preparations for a general election would be made, he added.

The NRC will be dissolved after the charter referendum, regardless of the result, and a reform mobilization committee will be set up instead to carry on with reforms, Wissanu said.

The new reform committee and the CDC will continue to exist until the House of Representatives starts operation, he said, adding the NLA will then remain in existence to perform the duties of the Senate until a new Senate takes shape. Endi