Thai election pushed back to 2016 - deputy PM

BANGKOK (Reuters) - A Thai general election planned for next year will be delayed until 2016, a deputy prime minister said on Thursday, pushing back the promised return to democracy. Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, who led a military coup in May, had previously hinted at a delay to polls promised for late 2015. Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan, who is also defence minister, said elections will take place in 2016, citing groups opposed to the junta, or National Council for Peace and Order, as it is formally known, as one reason for the delay. "We will be able to organise elections around the start of 2016 once the constitution is drafted," Prawit told reporters. "Right now there are elements opposed to the National Council for Peace and Order." (Reporting by Amy Sawitta Lefere and Panarat Thepgumpanat; Editing by Nick Macfie)