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Thailand's snap election to go ahead
Agence France Presse - December 21, 2013
After weeks of anti-government protests, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra defied calls for her to resign, and instead called the snap election. She remains caretaker leader until the poll, but she has refused to push back the date to allow the drawing-up of political reforms demanded by the protesters.
After meeting with the Ms Yingluck on Friday, the Election Commission dismissed suggestions it would postpone the vote. "We are ready to hold elections on February 2... today the government said it will help ensure that elections take place smoothly," commission member Teerawat Terarotwit said.
Meanwhile around 3,000 demonstrators marched through the streets of Bangkok, in an attempt to garner support for a mass protest planned for Sunday.
The protesters have vowed to disrupt the February 2 vote, claiming it will only see another government backed by the controversial former leader Thaksin Shinawatra, Ms Yingluck's brother.
They accuse the ousted leader of controlling her behind the scenes and call for the democratic system to be suspended in favour of a reforming "people's council"
Questions remain over whether opposition will run
Registration for political parties opens on Monday and the attention will be focussed on whether the main opposition Democrat Party will take part.
Democrat politicians resigned from parliament this month to march with protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban, who was deputy prime minister in the Democrat-led government until 2011.
The party remains divided over whether to take part in the election, with some agreeing with Mr Suthep's call for reforms to be implemented by a "people's council" instead.
But others believe they should respect the democratic process and run for office. The party is due to make a decision on Saturday.
Ms Yingluck won in a landslide victory in the 2011 election and her Puea Thai Party is well placed to win the next election.
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