Absence of migrant workers blamed for low voter turnout in Commune Election

Authorities in Banteay Meanchey province have blamed the poor voter turnout in the Commune Election on the absence of migrant workers who are abroad in Thailand or elsewhere. Spokesman and director of the provincial information department Sek Sokhom told Khmer Times yesterday that the reason for the poor turnout was there were too few days off to make it worthwhile for the migrant workers, who come from poor families to spend money to return home.

He noted that with borders reopening after the Covid-19 pandemic recently, many people from poor families rushed to find work in neighbouring Thailand and most could not find time or money to come back home just to vote.

“We see that so many people who are working in Thailand did not come to vote the election, because they lacked money to spend for travelling to and from Thailand,” Sokhom said. He added that in Spean Sen commune, Phnom Srok district alone there were 2,300 registered voters but only about 1,400 voters cast their ballots.

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