Bangkok: Thai coup leader General Prayuth Chan-ocha Friday said elections in the country are expected to be held after at least 15 months to allow time for reforms and political reconciliation, the media reported.
“The military did not want power but it needed to seize power as the political impasse had prevented the country from moving forward,” Xinhua quoted General Prayuth as saying in a televised address.
“The country’s democracy needed to be suspended for the time being for Thais to have democratic attitude in line with the international practice first,” the general was quoted by the Nation newspaper as saying.
A plan was mapped out by the coup leader to reform the country before elections.
The first phase, expected to take two or three months, would focus on ensuring security and reconciliation, he said.
General Prayuth said the budget for the next fiscal year was being worked out for approval by the legislative body and a new government would be responsible for administering it.
A temporary constitution is expected to be drafted out by legal experts within a year during the second phase. A national assembly will then be set up and a prime minister will be chosen, the Bangkok Post reported.