PRIME MINISTER REAFFIRMS ELECTION TIMETABLE

C O N F I D E N T I A L BANGKOK 001899 SIPDIS SIPDIS PACOM FOR FPA HUSO NSC FOR MORROW E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/29/2016 TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL KDEM TH SUBJECT: PRIME MINISTER REAFFIRMS ELECTION TIMETABLE Classified By: Political Counselor Susan M. Sutton, reason 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (U) Prime Minister Surayud yesterday reaffirmed the government's commitment to hold elections before the end of the year. He told the press on March 29 that the cabinet had agreed the elections should be held on December 16 or 23, with the referendum on the constitution in September. ¶2. (C) Comment: Surayud's statement reiterates the commitments already made by the government and Council for National Security to hold the elections in 2007. In the absence of a permanent constitution and an election law, no one actually has the legal authority to set an election date. Surayud's announcement is presumably intended as a reassuring signal to the public that the interim government stands by its pledge to return power to civilian government this year. It is consistent with what we have also heard privately, that the PM wants to hold the elections by December, if not before. However, it will probably be several months before the legal structures are in place to legally set an official election date. ARVIZU