However, a political scientist said this only pointed to the junta’s failure in reconciliation efforts that have been constantly highlighted by the coup makers over the past four years.

Wanwichit Boonprong said the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) has now become part of the problem.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said that the parties “are like boxers who will not respect the rules or listen to the referee. If they don’t come, then they should just stop boxing”.

General Prayut, who heads the ruling NCPO, also said that people should themselves decide on what should be done with politicians who refuse to join a meeting that aims to explain the “rules and regulations” of the upcoming elections.

The national vote has been tentatively scheduled for February 24.

Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwan, who is also defence minister, said yesterday that parties boycotting the meeting were troublemakers.

“They are just making trouble, but I don’t think there will be any impact. We have invited them for a discussion. There is no reason not to come,” he told reporters at Government House.

General Prawit, who is a key junta figure in charge of national security, was referring to the main political parties Pheu Thai and Democrat, as well as some new parties including Future Forward, Thai Raksa Chart and Puea Chat that have boycotted the meeting.

He said the meeting was being held for the parties to have their queries about the election answered. “We are ready to explain whatever they want to know,” Prawit said.

Wanwichit, meanwhile, said the stance the two key parties have taken indicates failure right from the start. He said this decision could stem from a couple of reasons: the pro-junta Phalang Pracharat Party stealing former MPs from other parties; and an electoral system that clearly favours Phalang Pracharat.

This is why many parties are feeling uncomfortable about joining today’s talk, Wanwichit said.

Also, he said, their participation in the event could be seen as a move to legitimise Prayut’s plan to retain power, which is why they have rejected the invitation.

He said that instead of sorting out the issues that led to the 2014 coup, the coup makers are now seeking to maintain their political power. Political parties are also feeling victimised, as the junta leader is manifesting his political ambitions, while holding the reins of the election, he said.

105 parties invited

Meanwhile, NCPO spokesperson Colonel Sirichan Ngathong said yesterday that the junta has invited 105 political parties to the meeting.

“The NCPO wants all parties to cooperate so the elections can be held without any problems,” she said. “We call on them to be open-minded and take part in the discussion.”

Also, she said, the NCPO wanted all sides to hear relevant information about the vote. “The authorities will also hear suggestions from the political side,” she added.

As for parties boycotting the meeting, Sirichan said she hoped they would change their minds.

Jarungvith Phumma, Election Commission (EC) secretary-general, said yesterday that some 60 parties had accepted the invitation.

The EC is scheduled to report its preparedness for the election as well as relevant laws and regulations at the meeting.

Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam, meanwhile, said he expected the NCPO to set an election date at the meeting, and hinted that a |“surprise” will also be disclosed at the event.

“What I can say is that certain things will be unveiled at the meeting. We have a lot in store,” he told reporters.

The junta, its organs and the EC is scheduled to meet with political parties today at the Royal Thai Army Club. This venue was where General Prayut, as Army chief, had held mediation talks with conflicting political groups in May 2014, but ended up seizing power after failing to secure an accord.

In December last year, Prayut, in his capacity as NCPO head, had issued an order empowering the junta to “work with” the EC and relevant authorities to set an election date.

Political parties, meanwhile, are calling on the junta to lift political restrictions put in place since the 2014 military coup.

Apinan Chan-uppala, director of the Election Commission (EC)’s Khon Kaen office, pointed out that the province’s former MP Nawat Tohcharoensuk has not been convicted or jailed for a criminal offence.

The current Constitution, in effect since April last year, prohibits anybody convicted or those who have been out of prison for less than 10 years from contesting in an election.

“There has been no final court verdict in his case, so he is still eligible to contest,” the official said.

Nawat is fighting a lawsuit that accuses him of being the mastermind behind the murder of Khon Kaen Provincial Administrative Organisation’s chief administrator Suchart Kotthum in 2013. An arrest warrant was issued against the former MP in April.

Separately, Nawat allegedly assaulted a party colleague at a recent Pheu Thai Party meeting held to select election candidates.

He supposedly got upset and kicked a fellow party member, who was expected to replace him as a Pheu Thai candidate in his home province of Khon Kaen.

The colleague, Thanik Maseepitak, who was reportedly at the receiving end of Nawat’s anger, declined to comment on the matter yesterday, saying it was the party’s internal affair.

“It’s a matter within our family. The party’s seniors are already taking care of it,” he said.

Nawat could not be reached for comment yesterday either, but Thanawin Phanthunaso, who looks after the politician’s house in Khon Kaen’s Nong Rua district, said he did not believe allegations of his boss assaulting a colleague.

“He is very kind to me,” he said.

The Democrats are the latest major political party to shun the meeting called by the ruling National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO).

Earlier, Pheu Thai, Thai Raksa Chart and Future Forward parties had announced that they would not attend any meeting called by the NCPO, stating that the ruling |junta had nothing to do with the elections. They have insisted |that the upcoming election only concerns the Election Commission (EC) and political parties.

Abhisit said yesterday that he “saw no benefit” in attending the meeting, as the NCPO invitation said the event was being held for political parties to hear from the authorities about the next election.

“The invitation said the meeting was for relevant authorities to explain details about the election, not for participants to discuss how the election will be held. So, I’m not sure if there will be any exchange of views,” Abhisit said.

“The crux of this election is to allow public participation under a democratic system that sets the country’s future. Also, for this election to be acceptable it needs to be free and fair.”

Abhisit also said the Democrats would not join forces with the pro-junta Palang Pracharat Party to back General Prayut Chan-o-cha’s return as prime minister.

He added that many of Palang Pracharat’s policy platforms were “incompatible” with those of his party. For instance, Palang Pracharat focuses on centralisation of power, while the Democrats want power to be decentralised from Bangkok to the provinces.

Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan, who is expected to be Pheu Thai’s chief prime ministerial candidate, maintained yesterday that the party would not attend tomorrow’s meeting if the NCPO and government representatives were present.

“Holding an election is the EC’s duty. We don’t think the government and the NCPO should get involved,” she said. “I am against the NCPO or the government interfering” through use of absolute power allowed by Article 44 of the post-coup interim charter, some elements of which have been added to the current Constitution.

General Prayut, in his capacity as head of the NCPO, had earlier shrugged off growing opposition to the meeting, which was previously expected to serve as a forum for political parties to voice their requests related to the next election. The national ballot has been tentatively scheduled for February 24.

Prayut, who is expected to preside over the meeting, had implied that the boycotting parties did not want to contest the election.

Through an order issued by Prayut in December last year, the junta has been empowered to “work with” the EC and political parties in setting the election date.

Separately, Pheu Thai yesterday blamed the “serious conflicts” between its election candidates on the EC’s recent mapping of constituencies.

Sudarat, who leads Pheu Thai’s election strategy committee, said there were conflicts involving its candidates in more than 10 constituencies, though she dismissed media reports that fistfights had broken out among some party members.

“There was no violence. The persons involved only showed their hurt feelings. The mapping of the constituencies is to blame for the conflict. This problem needs to be tackled urgently,” she said.

Pheu Thai secretary-general Phumtham Wechayachai said yesterday that a misunderstanding had caused the conflict and that the arguments between the politicians could not be considered serious.

“The incident was inaccurately reported and was over without any violence,” he said.

NLA’s first vice president Surachai Liengboonlertchai said yesterday that the new Parliament should be ready in June, but until then the assembly needs another venue. He heads a working group tasked with finding a new meeting venue for legislators for the period January to June.

The five venues in Bangkok proposed so far are the United Nations Convention Centre, Thammasat University’s Main Auditorium, the TOT Auditorium, Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre and First Army Area’s auditorium, Surachai said, adding that he will inspect these locations on December 11.

Criteria for consideration include facilities such as parking space, dining hall, meeting rooms, electronic voting system and rent. Surachai is expected to make a decision by December 13.

A source familiar with the matter said the TOT Auditorium in Chaeng Wattana area was likely to be chosen, as it meets the criteria, but the Bt80,000 per day rent is far too high. The source added that the NLA hopes to bring the rent down to Bt60,000 per day.

Meanwhile, Surachai said yesterday that though the House of Representatives’ secretary-general Sorasak Pienvej had said the new Parliament compound should be completed by June, he added that he could not vouch for this prediction.

“I am not directly in charge of this matter,” Surachai said, though he added that the construction should be completed by the time the new government was in place.

Separately, a “big clean-up event” at the Parliament building has been scheduled for December 26 and all NLA members have been invited to take part. The government has been using this compound since September 1974.

The new Parliament compound, in Bangkok’s Kiakkai area along the banks of Chao Phraya River, was to be completed by November 2015. However, the Bt12-billion project suffered repeated delays caused by the need to demolish old buildings and relocate residents on the 123-rai site.

Kim Hyun-chul, presidential economic adviser and chairman of the special committee on Korea’s New Southern Policy, chose not to reveal the date of the likely visit, saying it will be after Thailand’s election in February. This will be Moon’s first visit to Thailand since he came into power in May last year.

The presidential adviser was speaking at a press briefing late last month, which was attended by journalists from Asia News Network member newspapers. The journalists were in Seoul at the invitation of the Asean-Korea Centre.

Kim told The Nation that Thailand was among 15 countries that had invited Moon to visit when their leaders met last month at the latest Asean Summit in Singapore.

“We selected three countries – Thailand, United Kingdom and Germany,” he said. “We think the relationship with Thailand is important, which is why we accepted the request.”

Thailand will be taking over as Asean chair next year, and Bangkok will be hosting the next Asean Summit and related meetings.

South Korea has been among the dialogue partners of the 10-member grouping that comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

“With President Moon’s visit next year, we think Thailand and South Korea will have closer ties,” Kim said.

However, he chose not to comment when asked to elaborate on bilateral relations over the past four years, since the military-led government took power after the 2014 coup.

Commitment to prosper

At the Asean Summit, President Moon had said that next year will mark 30 years of dialogue between Asean and South Korea, and his New Southern Policy represented a strong commitment to prospering alongside Asean.

Moon’s policy is aimed at reducing South Korea’s reliance on the United States, China, Japan and Russia by expanding ties with Asean and India.

South Korea is expected to host a Korea-Asean Summit, as well as the first Korea-Mekong summit that will be attended by Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand.

Kim also pointed out that many Koreans regularly visited Thailand and there were many Thais living in South Korea.

Thailand is the second most popular country after Vietnam (2.4 million), with 1.7 million Koreans visiting the Kingdom last year.

South Korea, however, had the most Thai tourists (498,511), followed by Filipinos (448,702) and Vietnamese (324,740).

The amendment refers to those persons that deny the power of courts of law and fail to abide by the final court verdict in criminal cases against them. The NLA yesterday voted 149:0, with three abstentions, to pass the amendment.

Of the total 240 NLA members, 152 were present at yesterday’s meeting.

There have been cases in which former political office holders wanted for criminal offences had their lawyers take legal action against others, while they were themselves escaping persecution by living overseas.

Surasit Sangvirojpat, secretary of the law-vetting committee who represents the Courts of Law, told the NLA meeting that the amendment regards as “dishonest” any legal action launched by a convict escaping a court verdict for either imprisonment or a fine.

In response to queries by some NLA members, Surasit also said he understood that the amendment would also stop people from filing the same lawsuit at different courts in different provinces – a practice adopted by many supposedly damaged parties in the past.

He said this practice could be regarded as “filing a lawsuit dishonestly”, which is prohibited by the amended Criminal Procedure Law.

Also, an amended clause in the law empowers court officials to arrest defendants released on bail in the event of an emergency, without the help of police or administrative officers, as was the case in the past.

THE CABINET yesterday gave the green light to all government ministries to prepare projects considered “New Year presents” to the people.

However, Government Spokesman Puttipong Punnakanta insisted that the seasonal gifts were not politically motivated or aimed at wooing public support in the run-up to the election.

He said the projects by different ministries, which will go into effect for the New Year, are part of their “routine activities” at this time of year.

The projects will include handouts to the poor, extra money for the elderly, an income-tax deduction and subsidies for rubber and palm-tree growers.

“The New Year presents are part of the government policy of helping people. They are normal projects that require an ordinary budget. There is nothing political, even though this time it is close to the election,” Puttipong said at Government House.

“These are normal activities by the ministries that they prepare for the people. There’s nothing special,” he said.

“For example, the Finance Ministry has a project to help the poor in order to stimulate the economy and help reduce the burden on people. The budget was allocated long ago, and not recently,” the spokesman added.

‘No aim to gain political support’

He said the projects were really aimed at helping the beneficiaries in the short term, with no intention of gaining political support.

“Those projects would still have been implemented even if the election had not been held at this time,” Puttipong said.

At its weekly meeting yesterday, the Cabinet endorsed a proposed Finance Ministry regulation that includes three types of goods as items eligible for income-tax deduction.

The goods are tyres made from locally grown rubber, OTOP products, and books (both in paper and electronic forms).

To become eligible for a tax deduction, which is limited to no more than Bt15,000, income-tax payers must purchase these goods between December 15 and January 16, 2019.

The ministry’s Revenue Department has proposed the revised regulation as part of a tax measure aimed at helping farmers, community residents and consumers of necessary goods such as books, said the department’s spokesman, Pinsai Suraswadi, yesterday.

He said the tax measure is expected to help rubber farmers and communities producing local goods, and also encourage more reading.

THE THAILAND Development Research Institute (TDRI) is opposed to the government’s plan to offer a 5-per-cent VAT refund to shoppers during the Chinese New Year festival in February, and believes the move is aimed at winning popular support ahead of the general election.

TDRI academic Nipon Poapongsakorn said the tax-refund proposal, which would effectively reduce value-added tax from 7 per cent to just 2 per cent on purchases of up to Bt20,000 per person, would hurt the country’s tax system because the current rate was already well below the 10 per cent VAT mandated by law.

Over the past years, Cabinet has had to approve the temporary reduction of VAT to 7 per cent on an annual basis, he said, adding the government could offer other tax rebates but it should leave the VAT alone.

Nipon also pointed out that the economy was already in a good shape so there was no need to reduce taxes to |boost consumption, and the government’s move was only for political purposes. Also, this year’s GDP growth is projected to top 4 per cent.

In addition, he said, the Finance Ministry should exercise caution in government spending, especially since the country has been running a budget deficit and the Finance Ministry has had to borrow money to cover revenue shortfalls.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha brushed aside allegations that the government was introducing populist measures to win public support ahead of next year’s general election.

Instead, he said, tax and other rebates being offered are aimed at reducing the people’s financial burden during the New Year season.

He said the economy would also gain from these rebates, because people would have greater purchasing power. In addition, they can also buy products from community-based enterprises to help redistribute income across the country.

Prayut cited as an example Singapore’s multimillion-dollar plan to help its medium-income citizens, adding that his government wants to help low-income and other groups without having to increase taxes.

As for the VAT refund, Prasong Poontaneat, permanent secretary for Finance, said the measure had been first discussed two years ago, but it was not practical to implement it at the time. As a result, the measure was postponed until this year.

5% refund on Bt20,000 purchases

He said the government has earmarked Bt10 billion for the VAT refund, which will be effective from February 1 to 15. People can get a 5-per-cent VAT refund on purchases not exceeding Bt20,000.

In addition, he said, the government would also give Bt500 to the 11 million low-income persons who have registered with the government as part of the state welfare card scheme.

Meanwhile, Decharut Sukkumnoed of Kasetsart University wrote on Facebook that the government’s plan to give free Internet access to low-income earners for six months should be backed by the benefit of developing a massive database on farmers and other low-income groups.

The lecturer said he and a group of university students had last year called on the government to distribute free low-cost smart phones and Internet access to low-income farmers with the objective of building a database to justify the cost of this programme.

It will be worthwhile if the free Internet access will lead to the building of a database, which will be helpful for policy formulation and planning since farmers and other groups are supposed to provide feedback concerning their occupation and interests, including climatic, water resource, crop and other data.

Observers see the low number of applicants as disappointing when compared to the budget of Bt1.3 billion set aside for acquiring 50 senators from voting among fellow-applicants.

The Senate, under the current Constitution, will have 250 members with a five-year term. According to the charter’s transitional clauses, all members of the first Senate will be appointed by the ruling National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO). The charter also empowers senators to vote along with MPs to select the prime minister after the election – if the Lower House is unable to reach an accord on the premier nominee.

Of the 250 senators, 50 are to be voted in by fellow-applicants, 194 nominated by a selection committee, and six ex-officio members – the commanders-in-chief of the Armed Forces, the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, the Defence Ministry permanent secretary and the National Police chief.

A former constitution drafter, Chartchai Na Chiangmai, said yesterday that he thought the low number of applications was due to a lack of motivation for aspiring senators.

He said many of them had opted not to apply because finally it would be the NCPO that would be selecting 50 out of the 200 shortlisted candidates voted in by fellow-applicants from 10 occupational groups.

“They see no motivation for them to apply. They are sceptical [and see ]that in the end the NCPO may not appoint them,” Chartchai said.

Another reason, he said, was the EC’s failure to launch a campaign to woo the public. A hundred of the shortlisted candidates come from individual applicants and the other 100 from applicants nominated by eligible organisations.

Sceptical observers expect the junta-appointed senators to side with a pro-junta political party when selecting a new prime minister after the next election. The pro-junta Palang Pracharat Party earlier said that Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha would be its first choice for PM candidate.

A total of 7,210 people applied to be appointed as senators when applications opened from November 26-30, according to EC secretary-general Jarungvith Phumma.

He said yesterday that 6,705 aspirants had submitted their applications individually, while 505 others were nominated as senator applicants by eligible organisations.

Of the applicants, 5,315 are men and 1,895 women.

Ubon Ratchathani province saw the highest number of applicants with 431, followed by Khon Kaen (377), Sakon Nakhon (296), Roi Et (267) and Chiang Mai (265).

Four provinces had fewer than 20 applicants: Chumphon the least, with only 16, followed by Phang Nga, 17, and Sing Buri and Ranong, with 18 each.

EC deputy secretary-general Nath Laoseesawakool admitted yesterday that the number of applications was much lower than expected.

“The number of applications did not meet our target,” he said.

Nath had earlier told BBC Thai that he expected the upcoming voting among senator applicants to be “the quietest in the world”, due to many legal restrictions.

He suggested that people in power did not want much publicity for the voting for senators.

“They just want a small group of people to vote among themselves. Then the NCPO will quietly pick 50 [from the shortlist],” Nath said.

The law prohibits disclosure of the identities and number of senator applicants before closure of the application process. Also, the applicants are prohibited from campaigning publicly. They can only submit to the EC their personal history, experiences and life achievements on one A4 sheet, copies of which will be sent to fellow-applicants in their occupational groups for consideration.

Science and Technology Minister Suvit Maesincee, in his capacity as deputy leader of Palang Pracharat, also said the party will soon hold a detailed discussion on who should be its three PM candidates.

The law requires each political party to nominate no more than three candidates for the country’s top post before contesting in the general elections.

However, another key party figure, Commerce Minister Sontirat Sontijirawong, said “it’s still not time” for Palang Pracharat to choose its PM candidate.

When asked if Prayut will run for his second term as premier, Palang Pracharat’s secretary-general Sontirat said it will be decided later through the party’s decision-making process.

Sontirat and other senior party figures, including Suriya Juengrungruangkit, were in Khon Kaen yesterday to meet with more than 70 party members who are former MPs in the Northeast. The meeting discussed Palang Pracharat’s standpoints and platforms.

The party’s senior figures also met with local residents to hear their problems and requests.

Sontirat said he was confident his party would get “substantial support” from voters in the Northeast. “So, we hope to become a core party that can form the next government, which is the party’s goal,” he said.

Palang Pracharat is viewed as connected to the post-coup government led by General Prayut, though it has drawn many former MPs and veteran politicians from other parties.

Meanwhile, the prime minister dismissed claims that his post-coup government aims to retain its power through the 20-year national strategy, adding that the strategy is purely for the country’s benefit.

Prayut, who also heads the ruling National Council for Peace and Order, also denied that his government was trying to woo voters by giving handouts to the poor, pointing out that Thailand has more than 14.7 million people who earn less than Bt100,000 per year and need help from the state.

He was speaking at a seminar organised by the Chamber Commerce of Thailand at the Bitec exhibition centre.

Separately, most eligible voters said they will vote for their favourite MPs even though they have defected to other parties, according to Suan Dusit Poll.

Of the 1,180 respondents, 54.1 per cent said their favourite MP will not lose their vote because they had changed their allegiance due to personal reasons. The remaining 45.9 per cent said they will not vote for the defectors because they were not firm with their ideology.

The survey was conducted from Wednesday to Saturday.