Local elections cannot be rushed, says AnupongThere are several reasons why local government elections cannot be held before the end of the financial year in September, Interior Minister Anupong Paojinda said on Monday. Gen Anupong was replying to questions about local elections, which have been suspended since the May 22, 2014 coup. If local elections were held during this period, August-September, the existing local administrations would be dissolved pending the polls and they would not be able to perform their duties, including the preparation of budget proposals. Asked whether there were problems with budget funding for local elections, Gen Anupong did not reply. Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said on Sunday that local elections might be delayed because the budget earmarked to finance them had been diverted to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.

Source: Bangkok Post June 15, 2020 05:48 UTC