Thailand's general election will be held on July 3 after the king endorsed a royal decree to dissolve the lower house of Parliament. Government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn told a press conference today that the king has endorsed the royal decree to dissolve the house and it will come into effect tomorrow and the election will be held on 3 July. Panitan said Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva would release a pre-recorded message later today, in which he would explain to the public the reasons for dissolving parliament. Vejjajiva, the head of the elite-backed Democrat Party whose term finishes at the end of this year, submitted a royal decree to King Bhumibol Adulyadej last week to allow an early election to go ahead.