Thailand's Election Commission (EC) has decided to hold polling in April for the areas where the general election was disrupted by protesters.
The advanced voting in 21 provinces that was originally supposed to be held on January 26 but was cancelled, will now be on April 20, while those unable to vote normally on February 2, will now vote on April 27.
EC Commissioner Somchai Srisitthiyakorn announced this at a press conference after meeting with EC authorities of 18 provinces here on Tuesday.
Somchai said the 21 provinces where advanced voting will be held included 14 provinces in the south as well as Petchaburi, Prachub Kirikhan ( Western) and Rayong (eastern), Samutsongkarm and Samutsakorn (central), Petchaboon (northern) and Bangkok.
The general election was filled with controversy with anti government protesters and opposition groups questioning its validity, and it fell short of the minimum requirement of having at least 95 per cent of the members of parliament elected, as 28 of the 375 constituencies had no candidates.
The EC has requested for the issuance of a royal decree for the election in the 28 seats.
Another 125 members of parliament are elected through party list.
On Wednesday, the Constitutional Court will hold a meeting to consider a petition submitted by the opposition Democrat Party questioning the validity of the election.
The Democrat Party, the largest opposition party in the previous parliament, has boycotted the election which is expected to be won by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's Pheu Thai Party.
The advanced voting in 21 provinces that was originally supposed to be held on January 26 but was cancelled, will now be on April 20, while those unable to vote normally on February 2, will now vote on April 27.
EC Commissioner Somchai Srisitthiyakorn announced this at a press conference after meeting with EC authorities of 18 provinces here on Tuesday.
Somchai said the 21 provinces where advanced voting will be held included 14 provinces in the south as well as Petchaburi, Prachub Kirikhan ( Western) and Rayong (eastern), Samutsongkarm and Samutsakorn (central), Petchaboon (northern) and Bangkok.
The general election was filled with controversy with anti government protesters and opposition groups questioning its validity, and it fell short of the minimum requirement of having at least 95 per cent of the members of parliament elected, as 28 of the 375 constituencies had no candidates.
The EC has requested for the issuance of a royal decree for the election in the 28 seats.
Another 125 members of parliament are elected through party list.
On Wednesday, the Constitutional Court will hold a meeting to consider a petition submitted by the opposition Democrat Party questioning the validity of the election.
The Democrat Party, the largest opposition party in the previous parliament, has boycotted the election which is expected to be won by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's Pheu Thai Party.
