By Thai Newsroom Reporters
PRIME MINISTER PRAYUT Chan-o-cha has today (Oct. 31) stopped short of either confirming or denying fresh hearsay that he might probably dissolve the House of Representatives in late December.
Prayut declined to say anything about the latest rumours having originated at Government House that he might probably dissolve the House by December 24 other than he had no idea about it though the premier has the sole authority to do it so that a general election may immediately follow in a 60-day time.
If the premier dissolves the House at any time before it completes its four-year term, each MP who may have intended to seek reelection will be legally obliged to have been a member of a party for no less than 30 days ahead of the election date.
It remains to be seen which party may finally promote Prayut who has been allowed by court to prolong his rule until 2025 as partisan candidate for head of a post-election government again.
Nevertheless, if Prayut keeps the House intact until the final day of its four-year term, scheduled for March 24, the MPs will be legally obliged to have held their partisan membership for no less than 90 days ahead of the election date.
If the House term is completely consumed, those lawmakers who may have contemplated party-hopping will have to leave one camp for another by resigning from the old party and immediately joining the new one to make sure that that they will have held the new party’s membership for no less than 90 days ahead of the election date as provided by law. A by-election to find a replacement for any lawmaker who may have resigned is not legally required during a 180-day time prior to an election date.
The latest rumours surrounding the possible dissolution of the House by December 24 are more or less pressing those MPs who have been inclined to go party-hopping to do so any day before that date whilst the nationwide election will be held within a 45-day time after the four-year term of the elected legislative branch has been fully consumed.
Many MPs are more or less expected to leave one party for another where they will seek reelection under its tickets, including those of the ruling Palang Pracharath Party, the opposition Pheu Thai Party and the opposition Move Forward Party.
The Bhumjaithai Party, de facto led by former cabinet member Newin Chidchob, and the Pheu Thai Party, “de facto possessed and steered” by former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, appear to be the camps which are currently attracting most of the “renegade” MPs to join and contest the general election under their respective banners.
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Top: Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. Photo: Thai Rath
Front Page: The Parliament meeting chamber with an image of the Democracy Monument overlaid. Photo: Matichon
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