Myanmar’s junta boss Min Aung Hlaing reaffirmed his general election plans during his first visit to Bangkok since the 2021 coup, despite the earthquake damage.
Min Aung Hlaing met Nepalese Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Thursday on the sidelines of the regional BIMSTEC summit, which concludes on Friday.
Min Aung Hlaing told Sharma about Myanmar’s preparations to hold a general election in December, state-run media reported.
Last month, the junta boss, who has repeatedly promised an election since his coup, said voting would be held between late December and mid-January. He suggested voting would be held in phrases because of instability.
At a cabinet meeting on March 26, two days before the 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar, he said voter lists had been compiled and electronic voting machines would be used.
He announced a hybrid voting system using first past the post for the Lower House and proportional representation for the Upper House and regional and state legislatures. First past the post has been used since the 2010 general election.
Under the military-drafted 2008 Constitution, a parliament can convene with at least 33 percent of its lawmakers. As the constitution reserves 25 percent of seats for the military, the regime only needs 8 percent of elected lawmakers to convene a parliament.
The junta’s Union Election Commission says 53 parties, including the military’s proxy Union Solidarity and Development Party, have registered for the election.
Despite the rising earthquake death toll, the regime has given the go-ahead for Thingyan New Year festivities this month, drawing criticism.
Western countries, the civilian National Unity Government and other anti-regime groups say any election organized by the regime will be a sham to maintain the military’s grip on power.
The regime reported the earthquake death toll at 3,145 on Thursday, including 2,053 in Mandalay Region, followed by Naypyitaw with 511, Sagaing Region with 471 and southern Shan State with 66.
Many are still missing.
In Naypyitaw, bodies have not been recovered from government housing that partially collapsed during the earthquake.
