The cabinet on Tuesday approved the holding of provincial administration organisation (PAO) elections in December, as proposed by the Election Commission (EC), Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said.
Gen Prayut said the EC proposal corresponded with government policy regarding local elections, which had been delayed for many reasons, including the Covid-19 pandemic.
"Today, the cabinet agreed that PAO elections will be held within 60 days, or in December. The actual election date and timeline for the procedures will be announced by the EC.
"The other kinds of local elections will gradually follow, with allocations from the 2020 budget," he said.
Gen Prayut was referring to elections for tambon administration organisations, municipalities and special administrative areas such as metropolitan Bangkok and Pattaya city.
The prime minister said he wanted all local elections be just, transparent and free of fraud, so good people would get to run local administrations.