Bangkok sets dates for poll registration

Bangkok sets dates for poll registration

BANGKOK (Reuter): Thailand's caretaker government has set Oct.
21 to 25 as the registration period for candidates contesting the
Nov. 17 general election, a government minister said yesterday.

Gen. Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, deputy prime minister and minister
of defense, told reporters political parties would have to
register their candidates for the 393-seat parliament during that
period.

There are 14 officially-registered parties, but political
analysts say four major parties will be vying for control of the
government.

The four front-runners are premier Banharn Silpa-archa's Chart
Thai Party, Chavalit's New Aspiration Party, the Democrat Party
led by former prime minister Chuan Leekpai and the Chart Pattana
Party headed by another former prime minister, Chatichai
Choonhavan.

Banharn dissolved parliament and called snap elections last
week after being forced to resign as prime minister.