Thai election won't happen this year, legislator says

Bangkok: Thailand will need to delay a planned general election until 2018 to allow time to pass the necessary laws, a member of the military government's national assembly said on Monday.

But a spokesman for the government said it remained on track for an election in 2017 as set out in its roadmap to restore civilian rule.

The junta toppled an elected government in 2014 in a bid to enforce calm in a country divided by more than a decade of conflict between a military-backed royalist establishment and populist political forces.

Somjet Boonthanom, a member of the military-appointed National Legislative Assembly (NLA), said that elections would likely be delayed until March or April 2018.

"This is not a postponement but because of the intricacies involved in drafting election laws, elections will not happen this year," he said.

Until now, the junta has said it is sticking to plans for an election in late 2017.

“As far as the government is concerned, we are on track with the roadmap. The NLA's opinions are their own,” said Major General Sansern Kaewkamnerd, spokesman for the Prime Minister's office.

Thailand's army has carried out 12 successful coups since 1932.

The next step in the transition back to civilian rule is for new King Maha Vajiralongkorn to endorse a constitution which was approved in a referendum in 2016. Critics argue that provisions in the constitution will entrench the hold of the military even after elections.