Advance voting in at least six constituencies cancelled

[Lite Beer]

Advance voting in 19 Bangkok districts, 5 southern provinces suspended
By Digital Content

BANGKOK, Jan 26-- Advance voting has been called off some districts of the capital and in five southern provinces as anti-government protesters have surrounded polling stations early today.

According to the Election Commission (EC), 19 Bangkok’s districts ended advance voting, including Yan Nawa, Khlong Toei, Watthana, Dusit, Din Daeng, Phaya Thai, Lat Phrao, Lak Si, Don Mueang, Sai Mai, Bang Kapi, Suan Luang, Thon Buri, Rat Burana, Thung Khru, Bang Khun Thian, Bang Bon, Phra Khanong and Taling Chan.

Meanwhile, the five disupted southern provinces were Chum Phon, Phuket, Ranong, Surat Thani and Trang.

Mass supporters of the anti-government People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) have blocked and laid siege to polling stations in the capital and southern provinces since early Sunday, intending to disrupt the advance voting for the controversial February 2 general election.

In Bang Kapi district, poll officials were unable to enter the polling station at Baan Bang Kapi School as the protesters locked all entrance gates with chains.

Bang Kapi is the district where a largest number of voters, about 88,500 voters, registered for advance voting in Bangkok.

At Lat Krabang polling station, Suchart Tongchu, 31-year-old PDRC supporter, was injured in a skirmish between anti-election and pro-election groups. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2014-01-26

[englishoak]

It is bad enough, that we have Thais fighting eachother in the streets, but even worse that we have posters here coming from democratic (?) countries, supporting the eradication of democracy!!

Yes Thaksin and his cronies are bad, but the neo-facist Suthep and his amart backers are dangerous,

so don't let your dislike for the Shins turn you into supporters of something even worse!

Take a look at the streets today, and imagine what life would be like under the "peoples council" !

The irony is, that the system you blindly are supporting today, in the future might see you escorted to the airport, so you don't put any stupid ideas of civil liberties into the head of Thai people!

Wake up!!

You've got an interesting crystal ball.

Mine pretty much says the same thing. Its called history.

They are a fascist movement there is no way it can be seen as anything else.

Fascism, an authoritarian and nationalistic right-wing system of government and or social organization.

This lot fall under the latter, no more no less. As much as i dislike the current gov and its corruption there is no denying this PDRC lot are leading Thailand down a path that is set out in the history books, how anyone from Europe cannot see the warning signs flashing amber here is beyond me. Then again some were like rabbits in the headlights before and in denial all the way onto the trains.

We have a saying back home, never again must it be allowed to take hold. Thailand is playing with fire and it dosnt have the intellect or the past experience to see it coming, I think quite a few of us here can and would far rather speak out about it than keep silent.

If some can't step back and take a long hard and critical look at where this is going then I pity them

[pipkins]

Meanwhile, the IQ of Jatujak are soars with the arrival of the mob....

What muppets. and shame on the EC and Courts and Army for standing off and closing booths at the sight of this.

Were the Army talking of war with Cambodia a while ago over a temple.

[wave]

You know perfectly well that the presence of the police will also be a catalyst for violence.

Your comment is disingenuous at best.

Maybe the real question is why the Army are not coming out to allow people to cast their vote as the protesters seem to feel they are "neutral"

It's all the more distressing when the Army claim to protect and support the will of Thai people.

It would seem that this protection does not extend to protecting the Peoples democratic rights and their right to cast their vote.

Taking all of the above into consideration I feel that my previous comment stands.

When ones democratic rights are threatened one will fight to defend them.

But what we have instead is violence from civilians. If the police don't come out, why should the army?

Isn't that why the protesters are protesting: because they feel their democratic rights are being threatened?

People have the right to protest but not to obstruct the very process that grants them those rights.

How can you justify the curtailment of the democratic process as a means to support and strengthen democracy.

Where is the justification in obstructing, limiting or removing the peoples right to express their Democratic choice through the result of an election.

Furthermore this should be a clear warning to anyone who believes PDRC's claims that they support the democratic process.

The actions of the PDRC are screamingly anti-democratic and the blocking of polling stations by their supporters a travesty.

[Emptyset]

They are beating people up. That makes them thugs.

One person. Still, like you say, if police won't do their jobs, this is going to happen.

Problem is they tried to do their jobs at Thai-Japanese Stadium, got shot at and eventually got blamed for brutality - maybe correctly for killing the protester in the afternoon - but that was after they'd already lost one of their own. Would it be worth similar confrontation to defend these polling stations? Don't know if this has anything to do with the reluctance, or whether it's a deliberate strategy.

[chooka]

What a banana republic... Who is supposed to protect voters and make sure they exercise their right to vote?

Unbelievable.

Suthep doesn't give a damn about the people and their rights, he is flushing them down the toilet and only wants ultimate power and the country for himself. He his a self centred madman.

[GeorgeO]

Have those thugs blocking the voting centers been arrested? Didn't the official there chicken out the moment the thugs appeared?

You're really starting to challenge Nowhereman for the high 'thugs" count, aren't you...?!

However, since the anti-government protesters were present at the polling stations before the officials began to arrive, it must be assumed that your second reference to "thugs" was referring to the guys who came along with the pieces of "2 by 2", right...?!

[jackrich]

This is Democracy Suthep-style at work. A taste of what's to come if this madman wins. It's either HIS way or HIS way, you won't have choices anymore.

[whybother]

People have the right to protest but not to obstruct the very process that grants them those rights.

How can you justify the curtailment of the democratic process as a means to support and strengthen democracy.

Where is the justification in obstructing, limiting or removing the peoples right to express their Democratic choice through the result of an election.

Furthermore this should be a clear warning to anyone who believes PDRC's claims that they support the democratic process.

The actions of the PDRC are screamingly anti-democratic and the blocking of polling stations by their supporters a travesty.

I am not trying to justify anything. The protesters are protesting because they don't like what Thaksin is doing to Thailand. They are obstructing people from voting, and the police are doing NOTHING. This means that civilians come out with 2x4's. The civilians shouldn't need to do the job of police.

[miseryguts]

What a banana republic... Who is supposed to protect voters and make sure they exercise their right to vote?

Unbelievable.

The police are moving now on one mob.

The fascist spokesperson for PDRC is bleating on Twitter that they are being attacked. Big cheer went up all down Rama 3 area when MCOT showed the PDRC getting a kicking.

Might be a lot more of this if they not careful

Seems to me that you support violence.

Unfortunately for you, we all know that your post is pure BS that just came from your own deluded mind.

The police will not touch a protester, I have been watching all morning. If they did, it would incite riots all over BKK that they can't control. Or act 1 in the Thai civil war. The police know this. If they laid a finger on the protesters, the army would turn on them and that would be goodbye Yingluck.

[pipkins]

What a banana republic... Who is supposed to protect voters and make sure they exercise their right to vote?

Unbelievable.

The police are moving now on one mob.

The fascist spokesperson for PDRC is bleating on Twitter that they are being attacked. Big cheer went up all down Rama 3 area when MCOT showed the PDRC getting a kicking.

Might be a lot more of this if they not careful

Seems to me that you support violence.

Unfortunately for you, we all know that your post is pure BS that just came from your own deluded mind.

The police will not touch a protester, I have been watching all morning. If they did, it would incite riots all over BKK that they can't control. Or act 1 in the Thai civil war. The police know this. If they laid a finger on the protesters, the army would turn on them and that would be goodbye Yingluck.

What they are worried about is that if they touch a protestor, suthep gets his coup!!!! Making life hard for the army.

Meanwhile real people in Bangkok are standing up to the mob. But the the EC helping Suthep, many could have stayed open.

Pityful country that a few hundred mindless PDRC can do this. But quite clearly from day one. The Army told police to stay out. So they are.

Now what. People rising up against PDRC and when the tide turns there is nobody to keep them in their fascist stage at asoke.

Fighting fascism in all its forms is not violence. It is a requirment of all good people!!!

Meanwhile, voters protesting at the complicit EC and demanding they re-open another station!!!!

[Fat Haggis]

Thai against Thai on the streets and Farangs against Farangs on the forum!! ..

Everyone has a right to protest, within the confines of the law, even when the Law's an ass, and everyone has a right to vote, but when you are "prevented, or coerced" into not voting, becasue you don't toe the party line, that's not any better than finger pointing at bought votes, both are wrong.

Reforms?? you can't agree on the colour of <deleted>, never mind trying to reform!!

[soi41]

Advance voting in 19 Bangkok districts, 5 southern provinces suspended

By Digital Content

.Bang Kapi is the district where a largest number of voters, about 88,500 voters, registered for advance voting in Bangkok.

.

-- TNA 2014-01-26

So 88.500 voters were prevented from voting by a few hundred rented thugs!!

Democracy Suthep style!!

Imagine what life is going to be like under the "peoples council" !!

[pipkins]

Bit more electoral law is that for Police to come in, there has to be a direct request from the EC. It didn't happen.

So if the police do turn up, the EC and Courts try chapter 25 of their Judicial Coup by charging government with unlawful interference of elections.

Same in UK. Police cannot enter stations unless Pres. Officer asks them in.

So. Well done BIB, they not fall into the trap and unless EC call them in, the PDRC in lat Krabang are just about to get theirs. If they have not all run off yet.

Sorry if that educated a feww closed minds on here.

[Emptyset]

Suluck Lamubol ‏@FaiSuluck 2h

PDRC arguing w/ those who want to vote. They said they didnt "obstruct", just stand arnd but EC just cancled pic.twitter.com/KLtTZTcDKE

[taony]

Can't believe what I saw this morning at Ratchatewi is all it took to cancel voting there. Lasted all of about 20 minutes or so.

[englishoak]

People have the right to protest but not to obstruct the very process that grants them those rights.

How can you justify the curtailment of the democratic process as a means to support and strengthen democracy.

Where is the justification in obstructing, limiting or removing the peoples right to express their Democratic choice through the result of an election.

Furthermore this should be a clear warning to anyone who believes PDRC's claims that they support the democratic process.

The actions of the PDRC are screamingly anti-democratic and the blocking of polling stations by their supporters a travesty.

I am not trying to justify anything. The protesters are protesting because they don't like what Thaksin is doing to Thailand. They are obstructing people from voting, and the police are doing NOTHING. This means that civilians come out with 2x4's. The civilians shouldn't need to do the job of police.

Are you really so naive or just incapable of grasping the blatant facts and threats over the last few days if they do use any kind of force, plus they have to be called in. This today is all intended to incite people into violence and the EC is complicit in cancelling immediately without calling in help to clear them and ive no doubt if it keeps up they will start beating peoples heads in, understandable too. And then guess what, the army can and will justify stepping in... uhhh oh yea...

Pfft thats the last time responding for me its time to start blocking posters that cant grasp simple manipulation. I swear some here are more blind and full of excuses than the average thai.

good day

[Sunderland]

It's almost as if the government and police want civil disobedience. Yesterday evening the anti-government protest movement announced they would gather at polling stations this morning, so why do the government through Chalerm need to blame the Election Commission?

What happened to the state of emergency? There are supposedly 20,000 police and troops on alert to help keep order and yet they couldn't put 100 police at each polling station (5,000 police in total) this morning to see off the protesters.

I don't know about people calling Thailand a banana republic ... it seems rather generous in a country where the police are incapable of policing anything.

[rocky3]

The EC will not call in the police or army to keep the polls open and are quick to close the polls citing the risk of violence. the police will not act because the courts do not support them. the laws are only written to be ignored by the rich who can afford to pay to avoid procescution. this idiot Sutep continues to operate outside of the law, and parades around as one above the law. he wrote the last constitution( or approved it) stopped people from speaking out about it and forced everyone to approve the referendum. Now he wants to have it rewritten again by his appointed clones( peoples council ) and you think this is the answere to Thailands problems. This country is so corrupt and will not change it's ways for several generations. not even the peoples council can write a document that the police, courts, or the army will defend for all Thai's. this is such a farce to blame the PTP and yingluck for all of Thailands problems. The Democrates voiced their dissaproval of corruption and knew that Sutep was a problem within their ranks. and yet they did nothing to change the status quo. So tell me how you plan on formulating reforms, what is it you want to reform, and how you plan on enforcing them. Checks and balances are nice but without the police and the courts enforcing the law they are meaningless.

[miseryguts]

Another stunning victory by the protesters.

Suthep is going to win every battle in this war and Yingluck and puppets are powerless to stop it.

[pipkins]

More brave thais defying the closed minds at the polling station. This pic got real legs because she has!!!!

So, not even with the help of the EC closing up shop under orders. People are still voting in Bangkok!!!! End of the road we pray for Suthep.

[casualbiker]

here is what the people should be doing. Since the Amry and police will not protect their rights to vote

RT@Juarawee: RT @vasu_TRnews: Pro-election protesters couldn’t hold in anger, assaulted a PDRC protesters at Ladkrabung District. pic.twitter.com/VeeKqCFAhf

What a complete and utter hypocrite you are.

A million times to type the word "thug" and when it suits you you applaud thuggery.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Get smart and read the story. These are pro government not the thugs. They are fighting for they right to vote and trying to stop people from exercising their rights.

And the anti government are fighting for an end to the rape and pillage of their country .. as I'm sure you have stated before "one wrong does not make a right "

At the end of the day Yingluck was warned that this might happen by the EC. She ignored it AND she didn't ensure sufficient police either.

Sent from my XT1032 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[miseryguts]

35 out of 50 advance voting stations in Bangkok cancelled so far

As of 10am: so far 35 from 50 advance polling stations have been closed due to the rallies against the election by the People's Democratic Reform Committee, Nation News Agency reported.

Happy days..... that's 70% of them shut down.

Edit: Actually, it is now almost ALL of them..... Nice one Suthep.

[jackrich]

I think the PDRC is now officially in violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, article 21, which gives every citizen of a country the right to vote. Good luck getting support from foreign countries now, Suthep.

[jackrich]

35 out of 50 advance voting stations in Bangkok cancelled so far

As of 10am: so far 35 from 50 advance polling stations have been closed due to the rallies against the election by the People's Democratic Reform Committee, Nation News Agency reported.

Happy days..... that's 70% of them shut down.

Happy days? For a monkey maybe. For a normal person it's a sad day.

[soi41]

Long live the Thai voters, who were not bullied or coerced, but went out to exercise their constitutional right to vote!!

They might not have been succesful in casting their vote today, but have shown the world, that long term there is a base for a true democracy in Thailand!!

Fighting for their right to vote! Well done guys!!

[pipkins]

Another stunning victory by the protesters.

Suthep is going to win every battle in this war and Yingluck and puppets are powerless to stop it.

That would be right if it wasn't totally wrong.

Election law on TV now and Police cannot by law intervene unless EC request it. They didn't!!! They did their jobs for their masters and closed shop.

So, Chalerm has pinned the blame back on the fascist controlled EC.... Again. Governments are not allowed to interfere at all in elections and they havn'e.

Had Suthep got his clash with police, the Government would have been taken to (jeopardised) Courts for unlawful interference.

Well done Police for avoiding this trap. and well done to Chalerm for pointing this out and fingering the EC... Yuck

[jackrich]

Another stunning victory by the protesters.

Suthep is going to win every battle in this war and Yingluck and puppets are powerless to stop it.

You should go work for North Korea. They need writers like you. Seriously, you would be a hero there.

[pipkins]

35 out of 50 advance voting stations in Bangkok cancelled so far

As of 10am: so far 35 from 50 advance polling stations have been closed due to the rallies against the election by the People's Democratic Reform Committee, Nation News Agency reported.

Happy days..... that's 70% of them shut down.

But einstien. That is 30% not shut down in his home town. Fail if ever there was one and TV and foreign medeia now awash with backlash of voters against EC and fascists.

The backlash will gather momentum now. Voters want to vote and they have fought off the mob at 4 stations and demanding EC open one back up for them.

BTW. Suthep has failed to get his violent clash with Police and Prayuth out of town... So NO Coup

They also running out of money as their big backers seeing the writing on wall. IE, if they get Suthep out, they may not stop at him.. .they may go for the jugular and have a clear out of the business behind him...

[Sunderland]

Bit more electoral law is that for Police to come in, there has to be a direct request from the EC. It didn't happen.

So if the police do turn up, the EC and Courts try chapter 25 of their Judicial Coup by charging government with unlawful interference of elections.

Same in UK. Police cannot enter stations unless Pres. Officer asks them in.

So. Well done BIB, they not fall into the trap and unless EC call them in, the PDRC in lat Krabang are just about to get theirs. If they have not all run off yet.

Sorry if that educated a feww closed minds on here.

However, the police under the state of emergency would appear to have the authority to clear gatherings in the streets outside polling stations. Did they? Nope.