The Gulf Time Newspaper One of the finest business newspapers in the UAE brought to you by our professional writers and editors.
BLOOMBERG
Thailand’s parliament was dissolved on Monday ahead of elections slated for May as Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha seeks to extend nearly a decade of his military-backed rule.
The order dissolving the House of Representatives was endorsed by King Maha Vajiralongkorn and published in the Royal Gazette, just three days before the lower house was due to complete its four-year term. The disbanding kicked off the countdown for the next general election that must be held between 45 to 60 days.
Under the rules, the Election Commission must confirm the date of the election in a separate notification within five days, although it has initially pencilled in polling for May 7. More than 52 million voters will elect 500 members to the lower house in a two-ballot system that will see 100 seats being allotted based on the proportion of votes that each party receives.
The dissolution grants the 68-year-old prime minister more time to campaign and recruit members to run for his new party. Allowing the lower house to complete its term would have barred some politicians who switched parties from contesting in the elections.