The two biggest political parties are hoping Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha's fresh promise on the new election date will expedite two key draft bills in the National Legislative Assembly (NLA).
The organic bills on the election of MPs and the selection of senators have been thrashed out by a tripartite panel and will go before the NLA for deliberation again on March 8.
Deputy Democrat Party leader Nipit Intarasombat on Wednesday said he expects the two key bills will sail through the assembly after the prime minister announced on Tuesday that the general election will be held no later than February next year.
The NLA has to follow the direction set by the prime minister, he added.
Acting deputy secretary-general of the Pheu Thai Party Chavalit Wichayasut also banked on the remarks by Gen Prayut to set the tone for the legislators to greenlight the two bills.
The two organic laws have been vetted by the panel made up of 11 representatives from the NLA, the Constitution Drafting Committee and the Election Commission after they were initially passed by the NLA.
Before the prime minister's announcement on the new election timeline, many people expressed suspicions that delays on the two bills would be used to defer the poll date.
After the organic bills are passed in March they will be submitted for royal endorsement. This means they should come into effect by June, after which the 150-day countdown to the election can begin.
