Protests break out as Thai military junta set to delay general election for the fifth time
- The junta attributed the latest election delay to concerns it would interfere with the coronation of King Maha Vajiralongkorn
- According to Thailand’s new constitution, which skews the political system heavily in favour of maintaining military power, an election must happen by May 9th
Tensions continue to mount in Thailand as the ruling military junta has signalled that the long postponed elections will be delayed yet again.
On Sunday, hundreds of people took to the streets for the third time in a week to criticise the military government for appearing to renege on assurances the election would finally happen on February 24.
It is the fifth time the military junta, which took over in a bloodless coup in 2014, has delayed elections and prevented the country’s return to democracy. Known as the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), it has repeatedly declared the country is “not ready” for elections but the most recent delay has been attributed to concerns it would interfere with the upcoming coronation of the new king.
Over the weekend about 200 demonstrators gathered at Bangkok’s Ratchaprasong Intersection – the symbolic spot where dozens of pro-democracy demonstrators were killed in an army assault in 2010 – carrying banners demanding an election by next month, while smaller groups gathered in other cities across Thailand.
The army’s commander-in-chief, General Apirat Kongsompong, publicly condemned the protesters, saying they were “bent on causing trouble”.