Thai ruling party opposes delay to troubled election

BANGKOK, Jan 27 (AFP): Thailand's ruling party called Monday for controversial elections to go ahead, despite widespread disruption to advance voting by opposition protesters who besieged polling stations and stopped hundreds of thousands from casting ballots.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has faced nearly three months of mass street demonstrations demanding her elected government step down to make way for an unelected "people's council" that would oversee reforms aimed at curbing the dominance of her billionaire family.

About 440,000 people out of two million registered for advance voting were prevented by demonstrators from casting their ballots on Sunday, the election commission said.

Protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban has threatened to "close every route" to polling stations again for the February 2 general election, raising fears of further violence.

Ten people have been killed and hundreds injured in grenade attacks, drive-by shootings and street clashes since the protests began at the end of October.

An anti-government rally leader was shot dead in broad daylight Sunday while giving a speech from the back of a pickup truck in a Bangkok suburb.

Yingluck is due to meet election authorities Tuesday to discuss a possible delay to the election, after the Constitutional Court ruled that the polls could legally be pushed back because of the civil strife.

But the head of her Puea Thai Party said Monday he opposed a postponement and accused the Election Commission (EC) -- which favours a delay-of not doing enough to ensure an orderly vote.

"The EC is authorised to hold the election and Puea Thai as a political party fielding candidates does not agree with a postponement or delay to the election," Jarupong Ruangsuwan told AFP.

"The EC is stubborn and wants the election to be postponed," he said. "I think the Constitutional Court and the EC are coordinating with the protesters."

It was unclear whether his view reflected that of the government, which said it was ready to listen to the poll body's comments at Tuesday's meeting.

The opposition Democrats are boycotting the February polls, saying reforms are needed to ensure the election is truly democratic and to prevent abuse of power by the next government.

In an interview with AFP, Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said Monday that the opposition would consider taking part in a delayed vote.

He called for talks to draw up a "roadmap where reforms can be initiated and we can set a reasonable timeframe for elections that would be accepted by all sides".

Abhisit distanced himself from the protesters' proposal for an unelected "people's council" to run the country, saying that was not the demand of his party.

But he added that Yingluck "does not have the credibility" herself to oversee the reform process.