BANGKOK, Feb. 28 (Xinhua) — Thailand will have a general election by February 2019, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said on Tuesday.

The premier told reporters at the Government House that the nationwide election will be held no later than next February since it has been put off for another three months from November this year.

Prayut commented that he was not the one who has delayed the election date which, he said, has been put off until next February.

According to Prayut, the election date has been delayed by the National Legislative Assembly pending the time-consuming amendment to the constitution's organic law on the election of Members of Parliament.

"I want to make it happen too. I did not mean to delay the election to keep myself in power longer," he said.

The premier, who pledged last year to hold the election by November this year, called on all political parties to run electoral campaigns in peaceful fashion and refrain from smearing one another or instigating public disorder. Enditem