Thailand To Deploy 100,000 Police For Election

[webfact]

Thailand to deploy 100,000 police for election

BANGKOK, June 7, 2011 (AFP) - Thailand will mobilise 100,000 police officers to guard polling stations for its July 3 general election, the national police chief said Tuesday, amid fears the vote could bring violence.

The election will be the first since Thailand was rocked by its deadliest political violence in decades last year, when more than 90 people died in street clashes between armed police and opposition protesters.

"The Royal Thai Police will mobilise at least 100,000 police deployed at more than 90,000 polling stations across the country for the July 3 election," General Wichean Potephosree told reporters.

He said so far 256 candidates from the ruling Democrats and the main opposition Puea Thai party have sought police protection during campaigning and 540 police officers have been assigned to the task.

Last month police said they were seeking the 75 "most wanted" professional killers in Thailand, announcing a bounty of up to 100,000 baht ($3,300) each, in an attempt to boost security ahead of the poll.

The International Crisis Group think-tank has warned that the election could spark violence, and an opposition politician was shot and wounded in May in what the authorities said appeared to be a politically motivated attack.

The upcoming vote is shaping up to be a close fight pitting Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's establishment-backed Democrats against allies of fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 coup.

Thaksin's youngest sister, Yingluck Shinawatra, is Puea Thai's candidate for premier.

Parties linked to Thaksin have won the most seats in the past four elections, but the results of the last two were reversed by the courts.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2011-06-07

[webfact]

100,000 policemen deployed on the balloting day

By The Nation

About half of the 210,000 police forces will be deployed to ensure peace on the July 3 election day, national police chief General Wichean Potphosree said on Tuesday.

"By assigning just one office, lmost 100,000 policemen would be needed to man some 90,200 polling stations nationwide," he said.

Wichean said police were investigating 10 campaign-related violent incidents, four of which happened in Bankok. The other cases include the attempted kiling against Pheu Thai candidate Pracha Prasobdee in Samut Prakan and the gun attacks in Ang Thong, Chiang Rai and Lampang.

Police have received complaints about 1,057 campaign billboards vandalised. Rival candidates have launched 20 police proceedings on suspicion of smear. Some 40 constituencies in 24 provinces have been designated under the police watchlist due to fierce competition.

A total of 256 electoral candidates have sought and receive police protection. Some 540 policemen have been assigned for security details.

As a precaution to preempt violations, police have been monitoring the social networking through some 200 websites devoted to spread campaign messages.

The public are encouraged to report about suspected campaigning offence and vote-buying via the 1599 police hotline and the 1171 Election Commission hotline.

Under the elections law, voters will receive the immunity from prosecution if they report the illegal payment for vote within seven days.

-- The Nation 2011-06-07

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100,000 police stand ready for smooth general election nationwide

BANGKOK, June 7 -- Thailand's National Police Bureau has deployed 100,000 officers to postings nationwide to ensure that the upcoming general election on July 3 will be peaceful, National police chief Gen Wichean Potephosree said here Tuesday.

Gen Wichean, in his capacity as director of the general election centre, said the 100,000 police would be deployed at more than 90,000 polling stations to provide security and maintain law and order.

He said until now, there were four related slander cases, 1,057 campaign posters had been defaced or trashed.

As the election date draws near, more candidates have requested police protection, he said, adding that 250 candidates asked for protection during their campaign.

Five police were reported as not being neutral and are being investigated, he said.

Meanwhile, the Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) said has 60 volunteers from 24 countries to dispatch to 77 provinces to monitor the situation ahead of the July 3 election.

Some 30 volunteers began working Tuesday by observing the election campaigns in the hope that Thailand's election process would be free of fraud, vote buying and cheating.

ANFREL director Somsri Harnananthasuk said the agency hoped that deploying observers would help foster a transparent election process in Thailand.

Mrs Somsri said ANFREL was worried over the violence occurring daily, including the destruction of campaign posters, which could discourage eligible voters from casting ballots. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2011-06-07

[ginjag]

100,000 policemen deployed on the balloting day

By The Nation

About half of the 210,000 police forces will be deployed to ensure peace on the July 3 election day, national police chief General Wichean Potphosree said on Tuesday.

"By assigning just one office, lmost 100,000 policemen would be needed to man some 90,200 polling stations nationwide," he said.

Wichean said police were investigating 10 campaign-related violent incidents, four of which happened in Bankok. The other cases include the attempted kiling against Pheu Thai candidate Pracha Prasobdee in Samut Prakan and the gun attacks in Ang Thong, Chiang Rai and Lampang.

Police have received complaints about 1,057 campaign billboards vandalised. Rival candidates have launched 20 police proceedings on suspicion of smear. Some 40 constituencies in 24 provinces have been designated under the police watchlist due to fierce competition.

A total of 256 electoral candidates have sought and receive police protection. Some 540 policemen have been assigned for security details.

As a precaution to preempt violations, police have been monitoring the social networking through some 200 websites devoted to spread campaign messages.

The public are encouraged to report about suspected campaigning offence and vote-buying via the 1599 police hotline and the 1171 Election Commission hotline.

Under the elections law, voters will receive the immunity from prosecution if they report the illegal payment for vote within seven days.

-- The Nation 2011-06-07

This is good news, impartial police doing their duty for the electorate. A pity the 100,000 were not around to control the red shirt problem in Bkk. Instead the army were called in to do the job. Police for local control--Army for defense of the country. My idea only ?? Do hope there will be a transparent trouble free election day

[londonthai]

there were 50k+ in bangkok from the very beginning of protests, as many all around other cities.

those 100k for the election is not that much, to protect 90k stations. The election day starts well before sunrise, as the commission checks all paperwork, and ends many hours after the door closes

[hanuman1]

there were 50k+ in bangkok from the very beginning of protests, as many all around other cities.

those 100k for the election is not that much, to protect 90k stations. The election day starts well before sunrise, as the commission checks all paperwork, and ends many hours after the door closes

Exactly - even with 'at least' 100,000 police that's still only 1 or 2 per polling station all day long. I wonder how effective that will be. Hopefully there will be some mechanism in place whereby voters can do the right thing and report any shenanigans they see in confidence.