Thailand's junta leader promises elections in November 2017

Thailand's junta leader says he will hold elections in November 2017, under a newly approved constitution that will ensure the military's control over the next government.

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Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, the army chief who took power in a coup in 2014, has insisted before that he will hold elections in 2017 but until now had not given a specific month.

Speaking to reporters Tuesday, he dismissed a journalist's suggestion that the polls could be postponed to 2018.

Following the junta's so-called road map to democracy "would put us on November 2017 when the whole process would be complete. So why would the elections be held in 2018?" he said.