Following a mass resignation of opposition MPs, on December 09,2013 Yingluck said in a televised address that she had asked the King to dissolve parliament in order to allow the Thai people to resolve the political crisis in the country
Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said: "At this stage, when there are many people opposed to the government from many groups, the best way is to give back the power to the Thai people and hold an election, so the Thai people will decide."
Anti-Govt protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban said that the protests would continue till their demands are met in forming a "people's council", which would be unelected, as "we have not yet reached our goal. The dissolving of parliament is not our aim."
Tha main Opposition Party,Democrat Party decided to boycott the election.
The party's leader, former Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, announced the boycott after a meeting with party executives.
"The meeting of party executives and former party lawmakers resolved that the Democrat Party will not send candidates to contest in the February 2, 2014 general election," he said in a press conference
Voters are scheduled to elect a new House of Representatives- the Lower House of the National Assembly (500 Seats)
Amidst boycott controversies and disruptions by the opposition, the Election Commission offered to postpone the election for four months after the Constitutional Court by 7 votes to 1 held that election delay is constitutional.
But, after a conference with the Council of Ministers on Jan 28, the commission said the election will go ahead as scheduled
Early voting for those unable to vote on February 02,2014 began on January 26,2014
There are an estimated 2 million registered early voters
Thai Prime Minister and Pheu Thai party leader Yingluck Shinawatra poses before casting her ballot in the general election at a polling station in Bangkok, Thailand, Feb. 2, 2014.
National Security Council chief Paradorn Pattanatabutr said: "The situation overall is calm and we haven't received any reports of violence this morning. "The protesters are rallying peacefully to show their opposition to this election."
Voting in 13 of Bangkok's 33 constituencies was disrupted. 37 out of 56 constituencies in the south, where opposition to the government is also strong, suffered disruption. Polling elsewhere in the country was unaffected
Thailand's Election Commission, overseeing the vote, said disruptions at the polls could mean months of delay and by-elections before a new 500-member House of Representatives can convene
Protesters demanding the right to vote
Voters wait in queue to cast ballot for the general election at a polling station in Bangkok on Feb. 2, 2014
Chuwit Kamolvisit, leader of the Rak
Thailand Party, a smaller group that is taking part in the election,
says he predicts more violence in coming days, and that the Democrat
Party's call for an election boycott was a strategic mistake on part of
the group's leader, Abhisit Vejjaijiva.
Leaders of the anti-govt protest movement say their constituents would not prevent people from voting
The pro-govt "red-shirt" movement is
calling on its supporters to boost the election turnout despite the
threats and uncertainties
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