BANGKOK, Oct. 25 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's Deputy Prime Ministers Prawit Wongsuwan and Wissanu Krea-ngam suggested on Thursday that university entrance exams be re-scheduled to facilitate a general election tentatively scheduled in February next year.
Their comments followed public concerns that the Council for University Presidents of Thailand had earlier scheduled the yearly General Aptitude Test and Professional and Academic Aptitude Test for students on Feb. 23-26, whereas the nationwide election has been tentatively scheduled by the Election Commission for Feb. 24.
Prawit contended that the National Institute of Education Testing Service should re-schedule the exams so that tens of thousands of students, who are eligible voters, can cast their ballots on the election day without compromising their exams.
Thai nationals aged 18 years or older have a suffrage in accordance with Thailand's electoral law.
Prawit said the election date will not be postponed only to pave way for the exams, and that it should be the other way around.
"Their right to vote definitely cannot be denied," Prawit said, referring to the students.
Wissanu said the exams could held in earlier hours than usual so that the students could go to the polls in the afternoon after they finish the exams in the morning.
He expressed concerns over the tradition that university entrance exams are usually set on a Sunday and so is a nationwide election.
