Stage Set For Advance Voting :

[Lite Beer]

Stage set for advance voting

By The Nation on Sunday

More than 2.6 million are registered to cast their ballots today; Democrats seek clarification from Yingluck on Pheu Thai's proposed amnesty policy

Over 2.6 million Thais are today set to cast their votes in advance ahead of the July 3 election, representing more than 5 per cent of the total eligible voters.

Their returns will not be counted until July 3, when all returns are collected by the Election Commission.

Out of the country's 47 million eligible voters, about 2.6 million have registered to exercise their right in advance as they will not be in their constituencies on election day.

Another 210,000 Thais also have registered for advance voting in their constituency. But if they do not exercise their right today these people can still cast their votes on July 3 at their respective constituencies.

Public disclosure of opinion polls will be banned one week ahead of the July 3 election, but pollsters can still do their work. Advance voting will run from 8am-3pm. Election Commission member Wisut Potitaen said the EC is all set for today's voting.

From 6pm yesterday until midnight today, sales of alcoholic drinks are prohibited.

"This is a general election held nationwide. So I'd like to remind all people not to violate the laws. Some people think this is a petty issue, but it's not. Gambling has more penalties than selling alcohol," Wisut said.

The penalty for alcohol sales include six-month jail terms.

Another EC member, Prapun Naigowit, said the ballot boxes have been distributed and kept in a space visible for the public at district offices in Bangkok, and at provincial police stations with 24-hour monitoring by closed-circuit video cameras.

Three sets of three officers are assigned to guard the boxes daily. Meanwhile, each political party can submit an official letter to inform the EC and send one representatives to each ballot unit. Prapun said he was worried about the traffic in the Bang Kapi area as 104,000 people registered to cast votes there today. He said election campaigns around the voting units today are also prohibited.

Colonel Santhirat Mahanthana-chart, Nakhon Ratchasima Election Commission chairman, said almost 24,000 voters had registered for absentee voting in the province and they would have to cast ballots at the City Hall. Meanwhile about 7,000 local voters registered for advance voting, which would mostly take place at district offices.

Santhirat denied reports of some groups of people illegally recruiting voters to cast votes as the officers are very strict according to the law. They will also check voter's identification cards carefully. However, many of the voters are military privates recruited in May. They are from the province's constituency 1 and 2. The Suranaree Camp had asked for the EC's permission to provide transport for them with military vehicles, he said.

Chiang Mai election director Suchart Jaipakdee said 43,826 voters have registered for absentee voting in Chiang Mai while 6,964 local voters registered for advance voting. At least 30,000 voters are expected to cast their vote. However, bad weather might cause a drop in today's turnout.

Meteorological Department officials earlier issued warning of heavy rains and flash floods in many provinces in the North and the Northeast as storm Haima reaches Thailand.

Si Sa Ket Election Commission chairman Chamroen Tippongthada said over 8,000 voters had registered to cast absentee votes in Si Sa Ket and 2,600 local voters had registered for advance voting. He believed all those who had registered would come to vote today. Meanwhile, he expected the turnout on July 3 at 80 per cent.

Democrat Party election campaign manager Korbsak Sabhavasu yesterday rebutted Pheu Thai's claim that it has no amnesty policy for former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and asked Pheu Thai's prime minister candidate Yingluck Shinawatra to clarify the party's policies.

Besides the press conference, Korbsak also wrote on Twitter, "This morning I will ask Yingluck to clarify to people about amnesty policy whether she would work on it if she becomes the prime minister."

The Pheu Thai Party on Friday issued a statement denying it had plans to grant amnesty for ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra or to return him Bt46 billion in seized assets. The party said the Democrats had brought up false allegations designed to smear.

Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday released another article on Facebook pointing out it is Pheu Thai's policy to work on amnesty for Thaksin and return Bt46 billion to him.

Thaksin yesterday phoned in to an event to establish another "Red Shirt Village" in the Kumphawapi district of Udon Thani. He said red-shirt villages are free from vote-buying. They are formed only for the sake of democracy with no violence involved.

-- The Nation 2011-06-26

[scorecard]

Part quote:

"......Thaksin yesterday phoned in to an event to establish another "Red Shirt Village" in the Kumphawapi district of Udon Thani. He said red-shirt villages are free from vote-buying. They are formed only for the sake of democracy with no violence involved. "

I'm speechless.

But here's a question: If you are a non red shirt, can you still stay in a 'red shirt village', or would that be banned or perhaps too dangerous. Would these scenarios be examples of quality democracy?

So how can one contact this village to ask the village leaders and the villagers to explain in detail what 'democarcy' means and also explain the pillars of democracy, the things what need protecting etc., to ensure that quality democracy is in place.

Plus, on countless occasions thaksin has proclaimed that he is not connected to the red shirts, now this announcement. Do you laugh or what?

Edited June 26, 2011 by scorecard