Thai ruling party gives cool response to court ruling allowing polls to be postponed

BANGKOK – Thailand's ruling party has questioned the reasoning behind a court decision allowing next month's general election to be postponed, but held open the possibility that it might agree to put off the polls if its political rivals agree to recognize the legitimacy of a new vote.

Officials from Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's ruling Pheu Thai Party said Saturday that a Constitutional Court ruling allowing it to postpone the polls seemed to have no firm legal basis.

However, they hinted the government would consider a postponement if the opposition Democrat Party, which plans to boycott the polls, agreed to take part, and if anti-government demonstrators demanding Yingluck step down ahead of any election cease their street protests.