There is something odd about Thailand's upcoming election. By all indications, it is slated to take place on May 7. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has announced that he will soon dissolve the Lower House to set the poll in motion. But no such dissolution has yet been announced, while the end of parliament's four-year term falls on March 23. The ambiguous election-setting scene is portentous and telling for several reasons.
First, Gen Prayut needs time to find traction for his new United Thai Nation (UTN) Party, an offshoot of the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP), which hoisted him to power after the last election almost four years ago.
