Thailand: General election delayed to February 2019 /update 1

Event

On Tuesday, February 27, Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha announced that a general election will take place by February 2019. The announcement marks the latest delay of the vote, which were last slated to take place in November 2018. Associated demonstrations, and a consequent heightened security presence and localized transportation disruptions, are possible in Bangkok and other Thai cities in protest of the delayed election.

Context

Civil society organizations, including the People Go Network (PGN), and political activists have staged several demonstrations in Bangkok in recent weeks to demand that the Thai government stops delaying the elections. Hundreds of people have participated in the protests. Amnesty International has claimed that the Thai military government has ongoing criminal proceedings against dozens of pro-democracy and human rights activists as of early February, aimed at quelling political dissent.

The general election had already been delayed several times by the National Council of Peace and Order (NCPO), which has been in power since the 2014 military coup.

Advice

Individuals in Thailand are advised to monitor developments to the situation and stay abreast of the general political climate, avoid all demonstrations as a precaution, and adhere to all instructions issued by the local authorities.