Thai junta says it will lift ban on politics

Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha yesterday said he would use a special order that gives the military sweeping powers to lift a ban on political activity that has been in place since a 2014 coup, paving the way for a 2018 general election. Major political parties had urged the government for months to lift the ban to allow parties to prepare for the vote and the announcement won some applause from government critics.