Thailand's Election Commission has called for a postponement of at least one month of the snap elections currently scheduled for February 2, citing civil unrest and bloodshed during nearly three months of massive street demonstrations.
However, the head of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's ruling Puea Thai Party rejected Monday's recommendation, as the party has since Thailand's Constitutional Court ruled last Friday that such a delay is legal.
Yingluck is due to meet election officials Tuesday to discuss the election date.
The prime minister dissolved parliament early last month and called the snap elections in an attempt to end weeks of protests by anti-government demonstrators who want her to step down and turn the government over to an unelected council.
The commission has repeatedly warned the government about possible disruptions to the February polls, including security and insufficient volunteers to man the polling booths.
Swarms of demonstrators succeeded in blocking voting at some advance polling stations Sunday, and an opposition protest leader was killed in a daylight drive-by shooting.
However, the head of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's ruling Puea Thai Party rejected Monday's recommendation, as the party has since Thailand's Constitutional Court ruled last Friday that such a delay is legal.
Yingluck is due to meet election officials Tuesday to discuss the election date.
The prime minister dissolved parliament early last month and called the snap elections in an attempt to end weeks of protests by anti-government demonstrators who want her to step down and turn the government over to an unelected council.
The commission has repeatedly warned the government about possible disruptions to the February polls, including security and insufficient volunteers to man the polling booths.
Swarms of demonstrators succeeded in blocking voting at some advance polling stations Sunday, and an opposition protest leader was killed in a daylight drive-by shooting.
