BANGKOK • Pro-democracy allies of exiled former leader Thaksin Shinawatra and the current Prime Minister, Mr Prayut Chan-o-cha, were among 68 candidates from 44 parties cleared to run in Thailand's first election since the 2014 military coup.

Leading parties chose their representatives for prime minister weeks ago, but Thailand's election rules require that candidates be approved by the Election Commission, based on a list of character and other requirements.

According to the commission late on Friday, Mr Prayut, the junta leader who seized power from a government led by Thaksin's sister, was cleared to run in next month's contest. Ms Sudarat Keyuraphan, Mr Chadchart Sittipunt and Mr Chaikasem Nitisiri from the Thaksin-linked Pheu Thai Party also won approval, along with former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

The Thai Raksa Chart Party, another opposition party connected to Thaksin, did not field any candidates, after King Maha Vajiralongkorn this month rejected the party's shock pick of his sister, Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya.

Late on Friday, a court lifted a broadcasting ban imposed on Voice TV, a Thaksin-linked station, as it considers the merits of a 15-day shutdown handed down by a government regulator.

The commission on Friday also announced the names of 2,810 party-list candidates who are qualified to contest the March 24 election - including representatives of Thai Raksa Chart.

The names of constituency candidates were also announced on Friday, but in their own constituencies.

Candidates put forward by the embattled Thai Raksa Chart were certified as qualified despite a pending lawsuit that could result in the party's dissolution.

The party announced on Friday that its executive members would refrain from campaigning for now and instead focus on fighting the case before the Constitutional Court.

BLOOMBERG, THE NATION/ASIA NEWS NETWORK