PM 'never strayed from roadmap'

PM 'never strayed from roadmap'

The government has countered critics' accusations that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha made confusing statements about the general election timing, insisting it will stick to the roadmap to democracy.

Government spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said Gen Prayut has always affirmed the government's position on following its roadmap and that corresponded with what the prime minister told President Trump during his recent visit to the US.

Lt Gen Sansern was responding to Pheu Thai's accusations that Gen Prayut's recent remarks about the timing of an election had contradicted the Thai-US joint statement issued after the meeting.

Asked whether the government will have to clarify when the election will actually be held, he said no, because only the Pheu Thai Party appears to be confused about the matter.

Gen Prayut has clarified that when he spoke of an election date late next year, he was referring to when the date of the election will be announced rather than the poll itself.

According to Gen Prayut, he will announce an election date around November next year after all the organic laws have come into effect. It will then take around 150 days to prepare, which indicates that the election will be held in early 2019.

The joint statement read: "President Trump welcomed Thailand's commitment to the roadmap, which, upon completion of relevant organic laws as stipulated by the constitution, will lead to free and fair elections in 2018."

Acting Pheu Thai deputy spokesman Anusorn Iamsa-ard said he was not certain whether Gen Prayut made such conflicting statements unintentionally or whether he had deliberately intended to be vague about the timing.

Gen Prayut had clearly said in the joint statement that his government will speed up passing the organic laws so the election can be organised some time next year, said Mr Anusorn.

"But now the government is trying to distort the information to say that the election may come in 2019.

"I'd like to urge Gen Prayut to make public the record of his conversations with the US president and prove who is right and who is wrong," he said.

"It's not us, politicians, who make such a fuss about the election timing, but the voters who are now suffering economic hardship and potential investors who are reluctant to invest in Thailand," he added.

In another development, Lt Gen Sansern responded to calls by some political parties for the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) to lift its ban on political activities, saying the NCPO has already begun deliberating whether it's time to lift the ban.

Political parties want the ban lifted so that they can begin the process of meeting the requirements of the new political parties act. They risk being wound up unless they abide by the law, but say the ban will is hampering their efforts.

Details of the law were published in the Royal Gazette on Saturday.

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