The Election Commission is speeding up preparation of regulations for local government elections, expected to begin in September.
EC chairman Ittiporn Boonpracong said the regulations are in line with six laws relating to local elections enacted on April 17.
The regulations must be drawn up by August, said Mr Ittiporn. The cabinet will set the dates for local elections and determine where they will be held first. The poll agency will then decide when candidates will be allowed to campaign.
The recently dissolved National Council for Peace and Order earlier suspend holding of elections of local bodies which completed their tenures. The NCPO claimed this was aimed at preventing political unrest.
After the March 24 general election, the EC sent out letters instruction directors of its Bangkok and provincial branches to prepare for the election of members and executives of local councils, with polling expected from Sept 1 onwards, following the enactment of the six laws, a source said.
The source added that the Bangkok gubernatorial election will likely be early next year, followed by the election of the presidents of the provincial administrative organisations (PAOs), municipality elections and the election of tambon administrative bodies.
The six laws related to local elections are: the law on the election of members and executives of local councils; the law on PAOs; the law on the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration; the law on tambon councils and tambon administrative organisations; the law on municipalities; and the law on the Pattaya City administration.