The Election Commission can extend the period during which parties prepare pre-election activities if the junta's ban on political activities is not lifted soon, chief constitution writer Meechai Ruchupan said on Tuesday.
Under the Political Parties Act taking effect on Oct 8, parties have 180 days from that date to prepare for the upcoming election.
In 90 days, or by January next year, they will have to check the number and qualifications of party members.
In 180 days, or by April 5, they will have to have at least 500 members, collect membership fees from them, register seed funds of not less than 1 million baht, elect party leaders and executives, write party manifestos and regulations, set up provincial branches and prepare primary-vote procedures.
Almost all parties are concerned they would not be able to complete all of these activities if they have yet to be allowed to hold party meetings.
But Mr Meechai on Monday eased their concern. "The new Political Parties Act allows the EC to reschedule the period to make up for the lost time before the political ban is lifted," he said.
As parties will have the same amount of time to prepare, they should have no problem, he said.
Mr Meechai admitted rescheduling the period meant parties would have less time to campaign and new parties would be at a disadvantage.
"Let's see when the ban is lifted. If there are still problems, we'll try to resolve them, probably by adding an interim provision to the MP elections bill, which is being drafted," he said.
Parties have been urging the lift of the ban so they could start preparing themselves for the polls but PM Prayut Chan-o-cha and his deputy, Gen Prawit Wongsuwon, made clear they were in no hurry to lift the ban on political gathering, put in place a few days since the May 22, 2014 coup.
They said there was still plenty of time for the preparations.
Gen Prayut said earlier the election would be held in November next year, provided the procedures were not delayed.
