By DPA
Bangkok : The official decree setting Thailand’s general election for Dec 23 was published in the Royal Gazette Wednesday, fulfilling the legal requirement for a return to civilian government.
A coup in Sep 2006 had ousted the government of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, when senior generals alleged corruption and plots to provoke violence between Thai citizens. The ruling junta pledged to hold new elections before the end of this year.
The run-up to the election has been marked by widespread rumours of vote-buying, as a poll published Sunday revealed that two-thirds of respondents would be willing to sell their votes to political parties for cash.
More than 100 senior members of Thaksin’s Thai Rak Thai (Thais Love Thais) party were barred from participating in the election by a court ruling that also outlawed the party earlier this year.
The ousted prime minister’s supporters and surrogates have joined a handful of newly established parties to stand in the upcoming election.
Political analysts said the new government would likely be made up of a coalition of parties to be determined by negotiations following the December vote.