As country enters election mode, Anutin says border decision-making won’t be affected

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul meets the media at Government House on Friday after the dissolution of parliament took effect. (Photo: Chanat Katanyu)

Caretaker Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has insisted that the recent House dissolution will not affect Thai military operations along the border with Cambodia, as the caretaker government retains full authority on national security.

Echoing a declaration made earlier by the military, he said the caretaker government holds full powers, with only a few exceptions. Should any action fall under those exceptions, the government must seek Election Commission (EC) authorisation.

“Nothing has changed,” he said on Friday.

As he prepared to hold a telephone conversation with US President Donald Trump about the conflict later on Friday night, Mr Anutin said he hoped it would be resolved before the election, which is expected to take place on Feb 8.

Mr Trump was also scheduled to speak with Cambodian Premier Hun Manet on Friday, hoping to persuade both sides to get back to honouring the declaration they signed in his presence in October.

Some political observers have speculated that prolonged fighting could result in the caretaker government remaining in office for an extended period. Mr Anutin batted this aside, saying that the government cannot set the election date on its own.

The royal decree announcing the dissolution of the House of Representatives was published in the Royal Gazette on Friday, paving the way for a general election within 45 to 60 days.

The Election Commission will hold meetings on Monday and Tuesday to set the election date, chairman Narong Klannawarint said.

Poll body well prepared

The EC secretariat has already made the necessary preparations, having anticipated the possibility of a House dissolution and therefore completed constituency delineation in advance, he said.

The secretariat has prepared a full election timeline and stands ready to proceed, he said, adding it is likely that the polling day will be set for Feb 8.

Concerns have been raised about whether polling would be feasible in some border provinces, where tens of thousands of people have fled their homes for shelters.

Elections in Thailand must be held simultaneously nationwide, and despite the border tensions, the EC will do everything necessary to ensure the process goes ahead, Mr Narong said.

“At this stage, there are no problems,” he said.

EC secretary-general Sawang Boonmee said there were legal mechanisms in place to deal with extraordinary circumstances.

Under Section 104 of the constitution, if there is a necessary cause, the commission may set a new election date.

However, the election must then be held within 30 days of the extraordinary situation — in this case armed conflict — coming to an end.

This would amount to designating a new polling date and extending the timeline for the entire country.

“Therefore, we cannot yet say whether the election date will need to be postponed,” Mr Sawang said.