Frustrated Thai voters say rights violated

[webfact]

Frustrated voters say rights violated
Pongphon Sarnsamak,
Kanatis Srihirandet
The Nation


A voter who wants to cast a ballot in advance voting for the February 2 election at St John

After failing to cast advance ballots, many demand polling stations reopen

BANGKOK: -- Thousands of thwarted absentee voters vented their anger yesterday, saying anti-government protesters had denied them their democratic rights.

"All Thais have one right to vote. We are the same. Even if the protesters do not accept this election, they should not block others from entering the polling station and casting their ballot," said Chana-eak Butrod, a 25-year-old banker.

He was among hundreds of voters who, starting at 7am, were prevented from entering Saint John's Polytechnic School in Chatuchak district by hundreds of People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) followers.

Only five of the 50 polling stations in Bangkok managed to open, while the rest were blocked by the reform-before-election proponents.

The protesters told Chana-eak that if he wanted to enter the building he had to pass through the protesters lying down on the road. Some of them held hands to form a human chain.

Instead of making up his mind to enter the polling station, Chana-eak decided to wait for a while, hoping that the protesters would allow him to go inside.

However, at 10am, Issara Somchai, a core PDRC leader, used a loudspeaker to declare that the polling station at Chatuchak was already closed after he had negotiated with the chief of the polling station.

When the protesters were happy with their victory and collected their belongings to go back to the Lat Phrao Intersection, one of the main Bangkok Shutdown bases, Chana-eak decided to enter the polling station and check his name to make sure that he had the right to cast a ballot for advance voting.

"We have a different choice to choose," the Nong Khai native added.

According to the Chatuchak official, 25,151 people had registered to cast an absentee vote in this area.

Paisal Akkararattanadilok, from the Don Muang constituency, was also unable to enter the Don Muang District Office to vote. He had arrived at 7am but a troop of 38 PDRC protesters kept him out.

Right after the district chief announced that the advance election was cancelled, he suddenly went to the police station to lodge a complaint.

"Voting is our right. We can make a decision by ourselves about who is good or bad," he said.

Some voters were standing around the polling station and discussing the cancellation of the advance vote.

Some of them shouted, "We wanted the election" in front of the polling station. Some of them showed a handmade banner with the message "Respect My Vote".

A woman who wanted to remain unnamed said that even though she was able to enter the Phasi Charoen District Office, she was upset because her friend could not. The district office had announced the cancellation of advance voting at about 1pm after a PDRC group blocked the building.

In Bang Khuntien district, a group of 200 protesters blocked the district office.

Pipatchai Paiboon, a Pheu Thai candidate for the constituency, also visited the polling station to cast his vote but the protesters did not allow him to enter. There was a little tussle between him and the protesters.

Another group of 500 people visited the district office and told the officials that they wanted to cast their votes, as they were afraid that they would not be able to fulfil their citizen's duty in the future.

In Sai Mai, about 300 election supporters called for the polling station to be reopened, after it was blocked by anti-government protesters.

The scene of people calling for the station re-opening was also repeated in Bang Khuntien and Lat Krabang.

In Bang Kapi alone, over 80,000 people were registered but no ballots could be passed out due to the blockade by the protesters since 6am. The polling station announced the closure at 8.20am.


-- The Nation 2014-01-27

[tullynagardy]

"a picture says a thousand words"

Once again the PDRC outwitted and outmanouvered by the government. To the whole world now its a simple battle of democracy v those who seek to oppress.

Everytime I think Suthep and his crew cant do even worse with their PR they surprise as they manage to <snip> up further.

Edited January 26, 2014 by soundman
profanity

[soundman]

I have to say, that photo looks staged by "B" grade actors.

[millwall_fan]

This is a disgraceful denial of Thai peoples basic human rights. If anyone still doubted the totalitarian state that Mr. Suthep has in mind for ordinary Thais, one only had to view yesterdays shocking events. And this after he had previously promised not to physically prevent voters from exercising their democratic rights. It is the governments duty to those brave people who tried to vote yesterday not to cancel next Sunday's election. Next Sunday there will be many more polling stations and many more voters. The RDRC/PCAD or whichever of the Ruling elites front organisations they choose to use, will not find it so easy to close things down then.

[RWB60]

This is really shameful that people could not exercise their right to vote. The world is laughing at Thailand now.

[noitom]

Thailand suppressing voting rights and preventing Thai citizens to cast a vote. Unbelievable and astonishing that this doesn't capture more global attention.

[kurnell]

Never mind taking sides, Thais are shaming themselves. Never seen anything like it.

[englishoak]

I have to say, that photo looks staged by "B" grade actors.

Great opening post, I take it you havnt seen the other following one then.

Much experience acting with a hand around your throat by any chance ?

I suppose the Nation being such a gov supporting rag staged it

[focus27]

Perhaps the term "Suthepista" should be used more - in Italian, "teppista" means thug or hooligan.

[angsta]

A picture speaks a thousand words.

Disgusting.

[dcutman]

The PDRC really ass'ed this up.

They should have been campaigning and encouraging people to get out and vote. Vote for "NONE".

[mania]

This woman is basically telling them this block against her vote is BS

& she is not having any of it.

Thailand hopefully has many more like her

[Yunla]

The "war on progress" continues.

[daboyz1]

This is really shameful that people could not exercise their right to vote. The world is laughing at Thailand now.

The world has been laughing for awhile. The real comedy is that the country has been being run by convicted fugitive on the run through his puppet sister.

[Fryslan boppe]

I have to say, that photo looks staged by "B" grade actors.

I also thought that initially....But the RS's around me provided some compelling evidence that it was not..After this photo was taken, they threw him to the floor, stomped on him and stole his mobile..This voter-to-be was known by the RS's, and it didn't take long for his identity to be circulated...The same way as the guy appearing at a DP meeting showing his sign "Respect my vote", which has become the rallying cry for electoral democracy advocates.....This Photo above, of the blue dressed guy went viral very, very quickly, and the Social Media determined very quickly the guy in blue was accosted by the thugs as shown...Another video also circulating on the Internet, was of an admirable old lady trying to pick her way through coup-monger obstructionists laying down in her path...She was also physically restrained...Brave people those coup-mongers....Another video taken from a higher location showed several thugs running around an intersection preventing traffic from entering a presumable voting location, and attacking one vehicle with poles....But they numbered less than 1/2 a dozen...

It would be interesting to have an accounting of the number of obstructionists and where they are from...From the images I have seen, they were vastly outnumbered by groups of voters standing around, being both prevented by the coup-mongers and EC. With EC officials acting out of motives we can all speculate about...I know the RS speculations of EC types are clear.

All that said, it is noteworthy that no-one...NOBODY...from airporters, to those who sacked Govt. house, to thievery at some Govt. offices they penetrated recently, to the minority currently acting out, and absolutely none of their leaders, have ever seen the inside of a jail cell......Doesn't that fact alone cause one to ponder the realities of the user-friendly judiciary, depending on the user? Does one think that proposed criminal charges against EC officials will be any different?

Edited January 27, 2014 by Fryslan boppe

[edwinchester]

Watching the news channels it is very obvious that polling stations in Bangkok and the deep south were almost totally devoid of any police presence whilst those elsewhere had the usual police guard and even those appearing to be from the armed forces.

It begs the question why was there no protection for those actually there to vote?

[NovaBlue05]

This is really shameful that people could not exercise their right to vote. The world is laughing at Thailand now.

No....The world doesn't really give a rats derrier about Thailand or its misadventures

[Fryslan boppe]

This is really shameful that people could not exercise their right to vote. The world is laughing at Thailand now.

No....The world doesn't really give a rats derrier about Thailand or its misadventures

Correct to a large degree...Especially Europe....They are immersed in the Ukrainian thing....

[Prbkk]

This is really shameful that people could not exercise their right to vote. The world is laughing at Thailand now.

The world has been laughing for awhile. The real comedy is that the country has been being run by convicted fugitive on the run through his puppet sister.

This is the core message repeated over and over by the anti-democracy, pro-feudal clique. There is no other argument offered and it's threadbare. It doesn't resonate in Thailand let alone the rest of the world. The advice to continue with this line when faced with photos like this , is simply crazy. The myth that this is a movement of well-meaning middle class folk fighting corruption has been exposed.. Some will continue to repeat the lie , others in the ant-govt movement will see the futility and engage in dialogue.....the only path to a non-violent resolution.

[daboyz1]

This is really shameful that people could not exercise their right to vote. The world is laughing at Thailand now.

The world has been laughing for awhile. The real comedy is that the country has been being run by convicted fugitive on the run through his puppet sister.

This is the core message repeated over and over by the anti-democracy, pro-feudal clique. There is no other argument offered and it's threadbare. It doesn't resonate in Thailand let alone the rest of the world. The advice to continue with this line when faced with photos like this , is simply crazy. The myth that this is a movement of well-meaning middle class folk fighting corruption has been exposed.. Some will continue to repeat the lie , others in the ant-govt movement will see the futility and engage in dialogue.....the only path to a non-violent resolution.

I'm just going based on what Thaksin himself has said. Things like "She's my clone" and "Thaksin thinks, Pheu Thai does" Was Thaksin lying when he said those things?

Not to mention this all started when they tried to absolve him of his crimes at 4 am. If these folks were so "anti-democracy" they would've been out in the streets the minute PTP won the election and Yingluck was voted PM. I'm somewhat surprised they weren't. But no they couldn't be happy with that. They had to push even further to clear the fugitive criminal.

What part of that is a lie?

[Spalpeen]

Watching the news channels it is very obvious that polling stations in Bangkok and the deep south were almost totally devoid of any police presence whilst those elsewhere had the usual police guard and even those appearing to be from the armed forces.

It begs the question why was there no protection for those actually there to vote?

.

The coup mongers were trying to lay a trap for the government. Police are not allowed to be present in or close to the polling stations to avoid any improper influence on voters. If the police had depolyed at the polling stations then the anti democracy mob would have immediately run whinging to the constitutional court that the election was invalid.

The government continues to play a very clever game.

[kikoman]

This is really shameful that people could not exercise their right to vote. The world is laughing at Thailand now.

The world has been laughing for awhile. The real comedy is that the country has been being run by convicted fugitive on the run through his puppet sister.

Can you prove your statements,Re: "country is being run by convicted fugitive on the run though his puppet sister" or is it just BS,,

Meant more as your support of the protesters actions of "denying other Thai's the right to vote"!!

All should understand that it is the EC responsibility of protecting every citizens right to vote, no one else's they must be held responsible for not requesting police or military stationed at each polling place to guarantee that all Thai have a right to vote as they wish!

Edited January 27, 2014 by kikoman

[SaamBaht]

This woman is basically telling them this block against her vote is BS

& she is not having any of it.

Thailand hopefully has many more like her

Thank you for posting this. Any teachers out there should play this in their classroom.

[edwinchester]

Watching the news channels it is very obvious that polling stations in Bangkok and the deep south were almost totally devoid of any police presence whilst those elsewhere had the usual police guard and even those appearing to be from the armed forces.

It begs the question why was there no protection for those actually there to vote?

.

The coup mongers were trying to lay a trap for the government. Police are not allowed to be present in or close to the polling stations to avoid any improper influence on voters. If the police had depolyed at the polling stations then the anti democracy mob would have immediately run whinging to the constitutional court that the election was invalid.

The government continues to play a very clever game.

All the polling stations here in Kanchanaburi always have a police presence.

Wifey asked a friend who is a policeman where were the police? He said no idea but that they should have been present.

If police are not allowed why are they present in all the stations outside BKK and the south? Surely it would be easy to protest the results at those stations?

[daboyz1]

This is really shameful that people could not exercise their right to vote. The world is laughing at Thailand now.

The world has been laughing for awhile. The real comedy is that the country has been being run by convicted fugitive on the run through his puppet sister.

Can you prove your statements,Re: "country is being run by convicted fugitive on the run though his puppet sister" or is it just BS,,

Meant more as your support of the protesters actions of "denying other Thai's the right to vote"!!

Just looking at it on the surface it would appear that way. She is his sister after all with zero political experience and all of the sudden she's qualified to be PM?

But hey that would just be speculation. On the other hand if you look at the PTP campaign slogans such as "Thaksin Thinks, Pheu Thai does" and interviews with Thaksin himself where he stated "Yingluck is my clone" I'd say there's no doubt at all that she is his puppet. He's said so himself.

[bunnydrops]

One side throws grenades, and shoots. the other side beat up people who want to vote. Both sides have their thugs. Its easy to point fingers at the other side and blame, but its hard to defend the side you are on. There are no white hats here. The world isn't laughing.

[SaamBaht]

People crying about no police presence should keep in mind that it would only provoke the violent protesters to incite violence, which would play into the hands of the madman Suthep. The government is playing it right. Suthep looks like a backward thinking authoritarian wanting to usurp the people's power.

[smedly]

That photo in the OP is very obviously staged

[geriatrickid]

I have to say, that photo looks staged by "B" grade actors.

Is this a sly way of trying to say the photograph was staged?

Serious question.

Considering that the Nation is not known for its support of the government and its opinion pieces have not been supportive of the election, why would the Nation plant a staged photograph that is obviously not flattering to the PDRC?

[geriatrickid]

One side throws grenades, and shoots. the other side beat up people who want to vote. Both sides have their thugs. Its easy to point fingers at the other side and blame, but its hard to defend the side you are on. There are no white hats here. The world isn't laughing.

There are indeed white hats: The people who want to vote.