Elected Thai govt to take power earliest by end-2017: official

Analysts say vote for military-backed constitution reflects desire for stability

Published Mon, Aug 8, 2016 · 09:50 PM

    Bangkok

    A DEMOCRATICALLY elected government will take power in Thailand at the earliest by December 2017, a senior Thai official said on Monday, after the country endorsed a military-backed constitution paving the way for a general election.

    Thais handed the junta of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha a convincing win in the referendum on Sunday, with preliminary results showing over 61 per cent voted in favour. Full results are due on Wednesday.