webfact Posted March 18, 2019 Share Posted March 18, 2019 High enthusiasm marks voting By THE NATION Early-bird voters form long queues yesterday, eager to cast their ballot in the first general election in eight years, at Sukhothai School in Bangkok's Dusit District. AT LEAST 75% OF THOSE REGISTERED CAST THEIR BALLOTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, DEFYING THE HEAT AND THE LONG QUEUES A HUGE NUMBER of voters yesterday turned out to exercise their rights at advance voting polling stations across the country. Long queues of people defied the afternoon heat to vote in the country’s first election in eight years. The Election Commission (EC) yesterday estimated at least 75 per cent of the voters who had registered for advance voting turned up to cast their ballots. EC deputy secretary-general Nat Laosisawakul said the agency was satisfied with the overall conduct of voting yesterday, although it admitted there had been errors in ballots in some areas. The EC also assured that the ballot boxes would be safe under the protection of police. The ballots cast yesterday would be kept at the Thailand Post Office in Bangkok’s Laksi district, not far from the EC office, he said. After being sorted, the ballots would be sent to their home constituencies and locked up in cells at local police stations, waiting to be counted along with other ballots after the final leg of voting on March 24, Nat explained. The logistics involved a lot of people, Nat warned, adding that those with any intention of tampering with the ballots to think twice or they could end up in jail. Observers believed the enthusiasm of the masses was because the country had not held an election for nearly a decade and also because only 395 central polling stations were available yesterday across the country for the 2.6 million early bird voters. Over 93,000 stations would be in service for the actual election next week, when 51 million voters will be eligible to cast their votes. Thailand’s last successful election took place in July 2010, won by the Pheu Thai Party which went on to form a coalition government. An election was called by the Pheu Thai-led government on February 2, 2014 after the dissolution of Parliament but it was disrupted due to political turmoil and impeded by anti-government protesters. After much confusion, the Constitutional Court then ruled that the voting was legally invalid. The five provinces with the most number of advance voter registrations were Bangkok (928,789), Chon Buri (221,541), Samut Prakan (212,914), Pathum Thani (134,783) and Nonthaburi (97,321). The polling stations in these provinces were packed with voters all day and all those who arrived before the 5pm closing time were allowed to cast their ballots. Besides the long queues, the crowds, and the heat, a number of early-bird voters also complained of serious issues such as getting the wrong ballot. EC president Ittiporn Boonpracong admitted yesterday that such mistakes had happened. He said voters should insist on getting the right ballot otherwise their vote would be deemed spoiled next week. Some voters took to social networking platforms such as Twitter and Facebook to warn others about the errors. A Twitter user @JaruwanPumz advised in a tweet yesterday that voters must make sure the constituency number in the queue card matches their home constituency. She said she was given the wrong ballot, and when she raised the |matter the authority at the station told her to “just mark one”. Left with no other option in the polling booth, she had to mark the wrong ballot for the party she supported. The Twitter user, however, said she later brought it to the attention of the authorities and an EC official ensured the mistake was not repeated in the cases of other voters. Her marked ballot, however, was deemed spoiled, she said. “I woke up early in the morning for this after having waited for four or five years just to see my first [ballot] become voided,” she tweeted. “I walked off the polling station, almost crying. But I told them it’s okay at least they get it right for other voters.” A few other people also reported online about the same mistake, including how the authority had neglected to correct the mistake and told them to just mark the ballot. Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30365973 -- © Copyright The Nation 2019-03-18 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justgrazing Posted March 18, 2019 Share Posted March 18, 2019 14 minutes ago, webfact said: The Twitter user, however, said she later brought it to the attention of the authorities and an EC official ensured the mistake was not repeated in the cases of other voters Hmmm .. " I'll bet it wasn't " came a cynical reply .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
choff56 Posted March 18, 2019 Share Posted March 18, 2019 Wasn't Thailand's last successful election held in July of 2011 and not 2010, as "The Nation" has stated in the above article? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lupatria Posted March 18, 2019 Share Posted March 18, 2019 2 hours ago, webfact said: After being sorted, the ballots would be sent to their home constituencies and locked up in cells at local police stations, waiting to be counted along with other ballots after the final leg of voting on March 24, Nat explained. What an opportunity... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
losworld Posted March 18, 2019 Share Posted March 18, 2019 1 minute ago, Lupatria said: What an opportunity... gee no corruption possible by the police roflmao... where are the observers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chang_paarp Posted March 18, 2019 Share Posted March 18, 2019 The numbers of people making the effort to vote should give some interesting results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cadbury Posted March 18, 2019 Share Posted March 18, 2019 43 minutes ago, losworld said: gee no corruption possible by the police roflmao... where are the observers? They are the ones in military uniforms helping voters to choose which box to tick. Military kingpin General Apirat Kongsompong assured the public the army would be on hand at polling booths to provide "security". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dukeandduke Posted March 18, 2019 Share Posted March 18, 2019 2 hours ago, choff56 said: Wasn't Thailand's last successful election held in July of 2011 and not 2010, as "The Nation" has stated in the above article? That's what I thought. I'm struggling with my memory enough without them messing with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardColeman Posted March 18, 2019 Share Posted March 18, 2019 3 hours ago, webfact said: High enthusiasm marks voting HIgh Disappointment marks result Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eligius Posted March 18, 2019 Share Posted March 18, 2019 The enthusiasm won't be so high when the pre-determined 'result' is eventually announced ... But don't worry: there is a marvellous event in May to look forward to. Everything will be hunky-dory (for the 'Good People'). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AhFarangJa Posted March 18, 2019 Share Posted March 18, 2019 6 hours ago, webfact said: “I woke up early in the morning for this after having waited for four or five years just to see my first [ballot] become voided,” she tweeted. “I walked off the polling station, almost crying. But I told them it’s okay at least they get it right for other voters.” Wow, you have been brainwashed !!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Classic Ray Posted March 18, 2019 Share Posted March 18, 2019 I am told approximately 48000 voters turned up at the 700 year old stadium in Chiangmai to vote(where there was also a motor show taking place) but all had to pass through one scanner. Unsurprisingly many people left without queueing for hours to vote. This will be totally unconnected with Chiang Mai’s long standing reputation as a red shirt stronghold unsupportive of the current regime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lupatria Posted March 18, 2019 Share Posted March 18, 2019 5 hours ago, losworld said: gee no corruption possible by the police roflmao... where are the observers? ...invited to a golf course? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrTuner Posted March 18, 2019 Share Posted March 18, 2019 Enthusiasm is nice, voting is good. Too bad the charter is now rigged so the elections don't really matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wisperone Posted March 18, 2019 Share Posted March 18, 2019 "She said she was given the wrong ballot, and when she raised the matter the authority at the station told her to “just mark one”. He also said, "Don't worry sweetie, we already know who won". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sammieuk1 Posted March 18, 2019 Share Posted March 18, 2019 Amazing how they found the ballot box in this appalling smog???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubon farang Posted March 18, 2019 Share Posted March 18, 2019 Don't matter if the little P does not get one vote He will still be Pm This election is rigged Makes Hun Seng of Cambodia look like a saint Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookieqw Posted March 18, 2019 Share Posted March 18, 2019 10 hours ago, choff56 said: Wasn't Thailand's last successful election held in July of 2011 and not 2010, as "The Nation" has stated in the above article? an election is an election, success only applies to the winner, if you refuse to vote UP TO YOU now go away and throw your toys out the pram. ps. this is not directed at above poster but to the 2014 election Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookieqw Posted March 18, 2019 Share Posted March 18, 2019 2 hours ago, wisperone said: "She said she was given the wrong ballot, and when she raised the matter the authority at the station told her to “just mark one”. He also said, "Don't worry sweetie, we already know who won". maybe she should have recorded the conversation but then again she maybe could be found guilty of the of that communication law they like to use Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.