Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon insisted political parties will have about 60 days for election campaigning after the ban on political activities is lifted.
The 60-day period for campaigning should be long enough when compared to the campaign for the 2011 election called by former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra, which lasted only 49 days, said Gen Prawit, who concurrently serves as defence minister.
He was responding to criticism from politicians that 60 days of campaigning would be too short.
His remarks came after the government on Thursday outlined an election timeline, with the ban on political activities likely to be lifted shortly after the law on the election of MPs is enacted on Dec 11.
However, political parties, in fact, have already gone into overdrive in preparing for the poll.
A Pheu Thai Party source said an election strategy committee led by Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan met on Friday to discuss poll preparations, with plans to meet people nationwide.
Key party figures will lead a trip to Suphan Buri on Saturday, and Sunday they will meet Bangkok residents at Platinum wholesale fashion mall in Pratunam, the source said.
The party is also choosing poll candidates and recruiting new members, and preparing to set up branches in regions where it has none, particularly in the South, the source said.
Wannarat Charnnukul, leader of the Chart Pattana Party which has a stronghold in Nakhon Ratchasima, welcomed the government's latest election timeline, saying it was good news that would boost investor confidence.
Dr Wannarat said Chart Pattana is willing to cooperate with all sides to steer the country towards an election.
The party will hold a meeting on Nov 21 to elect new party executives, he added.
However, the Thai Raksa Chart Party's leader-elect, Preechapol Pongpanich, on Friday called for the immediate lifting of the political ban.
Meanwhile, at the Future Forward Party, Rangsiman Rome and Piyarat Chongthep, key members of the People Who Want Elections group registered to become MP candidates.
Also yesterday, the Democrat Party closed its nationwide electronic voting system which began on Nov 1 to help elect its leader.
Chumpol Kanjana, chairman of the Democrat Party committee responsible for the e-voting said the official results of the e-vote will be announced today because the panel had to look into alleged irregularities during the process.
Although the results of the e-vote only serve as a pointer to each candidate's popularity, the outcome of the e-vote will be taken into account tomorrow when the party holds a general assembly to officially elect the leader and a new board of party executives.
The candidates are present party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva, former party deputy leader Alongkorn Ponlaboot, and former Democrat Phitsanulok MP Warong Dechgitvigrom.
Dr Warong said on Friday he would withdraw from the contest if he failed to come out on top in the e-vote.
He added that he would still run as an election candidate in the constituency system.
On Thursday, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said the bill on the election of MPs, which was royally endorsed and published in the Royal Gazette in September, will take effect on Dec 11.
Mr Wissanu added that the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) is expected to lift the ban on political activities shortly after the bill becomes law.
Of the constitution's 10 organic laws, this is the last to be promulgated due to a 90-day waiting period imposed by the National Legislative Assembly.
He pointed out that an election will be held within 150 days of this law taking effect on Dec 11 -- or by May 9 of next year at the latest.
However, after the government held talks with the Election Commission (EC) and other state agencies, it was agreed that Feb 24 was the most appropriate date for holding an election, the deputy prime minister said.
After the law on the election of MPs takes effect, the EC must draw up a royal decree on the election and forward it to the cabinet for consideration.
