Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has dissolved Thailand’s House of Representatives, paving the way for a general election, which is expected to be held in early May.

The announcement was published in the Royal Gazette today and took immediate effect.

A general election is constitutionally required to be held 45 days after, but within 60 days of the House dissolution. The Election Commission is mandated to announce a date for the election within five days of the House being dissolved.

It has been speculated that the date of the election will fall on either Sunday May 7^th or 14^th.

The House dissolution, which had been long anticipated, came just two days before the current four-year term of the House was to end. Thailand held its last general election on March 24^th, 2019.

Prayut is hoping to make a political return as a prime ministerial candidate of the newly-formed United Thai Nation Party, which he recently joined. Most major political parties have already launched their election campaigns in anticipation of the House dissolution.