Thailand: General elections scheduled for February 24 /update 1

Event

On Tuesday, December 11, Thailand's electoral commission announced plans for general elections to be held on February 24, 2019. The announcement came as the Thai military government announced it was lifting a ban on political activity that has been in place since a coup in 2014. Political rallies and campaign activity are possible in Bangkok and around the country, along with a heightened security presence during any events, in the coming months.

Context

Thailand imposed a ban on political activity following a 2014 coup when the military overthrew the civilian government. A ban on organizing political parties was lifted in September 2018.

Advice

Individuals in Thailand are advised to monitor the situation, avoid any public demonstrations as a precaution, refrain from discussing political topics in public, and anticipate a heightened security presence around any campaign activities.