Thailand announces new vote

Thailand's Election Commission has announced a third round of voting this weekend to fill 13 empty seats that are preventing parliament from meeting and prolonging a constitutional crisis.

By-elections last weekend failed to fill all 40 seats left empty by this month's snap election, which was boycotted by the 4 biggest opposition parties and forced the Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to announce he would step aside.
The election commission says the next round of by-elections will be held on Saturday, ahead of a May 2 constitutional deadline for parliament to meet within 30 days of the national vote.

The third round of balloting is crucial for Thailand's national politics as parliament cannot convene to name a new prime minister until all 500 parliament's seats in the Lower House are filled.