Several Thai provinces not ready for poll tomorrow

[webfact]

Several provinces not ready for poll tomorrow
The Nation


A government officer checks ballot boxes in Lak Si district office in Bangkok after anti-government protesters occupied the entrance of the building to block delivery of the boxes and papers to polling stations.

Clashes feared in the South as delivery of ballot papers blockaded by protesters

BANGKOK: -- Several provinces, mainly in the South, do not seem to be ready for tomorrow's election as millions of ballot papers have yet to be delivered to polling stations.

Anti-government protesters have continued camping out at post offices in Chumphon, Thung Song district in Nakhon Si Thammarat and Hat Yai in Songkhla to block the delivery of ballot cards to constituencies in the South.

However, some voters in the three southern-most provinces, including Pattani, are angry about the blockade. Yesterday, a group of people gathered in front of Pattani provincial hall, demanding that they be allowed to exercise their right to vote. They also plan to go to the upper South region to confront the protesters.

In a Facebook post yesterday, Election Commission (EC) member Somchai Srisutthiyakorn said not a single ballot card for party-list votes had been sent out of the post offices in the three southern provinces, suggesting that voters in 14 southern provinces might only have a ballot card to vote for the constituency candidate.

Voting requires two cards - one for a party-list candidate and one for a constituency candidate.

EC chairman Supachai Somcharoen said the commander of the 4th Army Region Lt-General Sakol Cheuntrakul had failed to get protesters in Songkhla to release the ballot cards.

"We will continue negotiating as we do not want to use force and cause the loss of lives. We could hold the election later," Supachai told reporters.

Asked if people's failure to cast their ballot tomorrow may force the poll to be nullified, Supachai said legal experts should interpret the Constitution's flexibility. He added that the EC would also speak with legal experts today.

"The Constitutional Court should be the one to decide on the election's validity. The EC cannot prejudge this," he said.

The Constitution says an election needs to be held on the same day across the nation. However, there are no candidates for 28 constituencies in eight provinces in the South, which is mostly the stronghold of the Democrat Party. The Democrats have boycotted the poll.

Meanwhile, caretaker Labour Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung, in his capacity as director of the Centre for Maintaining Peace and Order, believes there will be violent clashes tomorrow, especially in the deep South where voters are furious about the blockade. He said the Democrat Party should be held responsible for its moves to disrupt elections in the region.

Anti-government protesters have also blocked the delivery of ballot cards to Lak Si in Bangkok, although protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban said initially that his group would not block voting tomorrow. Lak Si district chief Narong Chongchampha said he had not expected the blockade.


-- The Nation 2014-02-01

[Scamper]

As Thailand gets ready for a polling day like no other, it is clear that voting will not take place in large swaths of the country. There will be eight provinces which will not take part. Fourteen provinces will be lacking party-list ballots. Many other polling stations will not receive ballots of any description. The EC commissioner states that the constitution is flexible, though he is clearly cautious to defer that ruling to the Constitution Court, which will definitely settle the matter. Except of course for Pheu Thai. Pheu Thai believes that the constitution is the most flexible document in history. But one thing is clear - it has never been stretched this far. We are about to see what it looks like when the students arrive for the first day of school and realize - there's no school.

[chainarong]

What a strange place , provinces not ready for an Election, if all candidates cannot be voted for, what's the point , the EC must declare an invalid poll, On an off note, anybody checking for money changing hands in suspected area's , just a thought, the brain dead never learn.

[Thailand]

Sutheps actions have guaranteed that there will be very little enticement money changing hands as far as PTP supporters are concerned, they are happy to be voting against all that Suthep stands for.

If the authorities finally do their job the south can complete the election on 23rd February?

[spirit47]

Sutheps actions have guaranteed that there will be very little enticement money changing hands as far as PTP supporters are concerned, they are happy to be voting against all that Suthep stands for.

If the authorities finally do their job the south can complete the election on 23rd February?

So they will vote for a criminal Taksin regime, corruption, patronage, intimidation, violence, murder, liars and selfish...Good chose, some blodshed for dessert?

You all blame yourself by support them, they must go if you want progress and democracy.

[Mosha]

It's nice and quiet without those speaker vans every 30 minutes

[Thailand]

Sutheps actions have guaranteed that there will be very little enticement money changing hands as far as PTP supporters are concerned, they are happy to be voting against all that Suthep stands for.

If the authorities finally do their job the south can complete the election on 23rd February?

So they will vote for a criminal Taksin regime, corruption, patronage, intimidation, violence, murder, liars and selfish...Good chose, some blodshed for dessert?

You all blame yourself by support them, they must go if you want progress and democracy.

Great post,very impressive. You have a real grasp of the current situation in Thailand and an uncanny understanding of each of the protagonists in the current conflict.

[crazydrummerpauly]

What a depressing country right now...where's my suitcase ? Worst of all, this could drag on for the rest of the year..... :-(

[BlueNoseCodger]

As Thailand gets ready for a polling day like no other, it is clear that voting will not take place in large swaths of the country. There will be eight provinces which will not take part. Fourteen provinces will be lacking party-list ballots. Many other polling stations will not receive ballots of any description. The EC commissioner states that the constitution is flexible, though he is clearly cautious to defer that ruling to the Constitution Court, which will definitely settle the matter. Except of course for Pheu Thai. Pheu Thai believes that the constitution is the most flexible document in history. But one thing is clear - it has never been stretched this far. We are about to see what it looks like when the students arrive for the first day of school and realize - there's no school.

Reverso-world logic. Pretend the constitution is the opposite of what it is!

The constitution requires elections within 60 days of the Royal Decree dissolving the house.

Section 108. The dissolution of the House of Representatives shall be made in the form of a Royal Decree in which the day for a new general election must be fixed for not less than forty-five days but not more than sixty days as from the day the House of Representatives has been dissolved and such election day must be the same throughout the Kingdom

(The requirement that the national election be held in one go, is a obligation on the EC, not an excuse to annul the vote and cancel the democracy!)

The constitution requires the EC organize polls at any polling stations prevented from voting.

Section 236. The Election Commission shall have the following powers and duties:

(6) to order a new election or a new voting at a referendum to be held in any or all polling stations when there occurs convincing evidence that the election or the voting at a referendum in that or those polling stations has not proceeded in an honest and fair manner;

Notice that is not an election restart, if the polling station proceeded in an honest manner, then EC cannot call a new poll in that station*. Notice also that this means that individual polls can be restarted, if they could not be carried out on the scheduled day of the national elections!

CC's ruling did not constitute a delay BTW, it constituted an election restart.

Everyone has a duty to vote, that's more than a right, its a duty

Section 72. Every person shall have a duty to exercise his right to vote at an election.

So to sum up, no big surprises. You need to hold an election, it is not optional. If the poll could not be held at a polling station then EC needs to redo that polling station.

* added, you realize that this also means the EC can't unilaterally void the election. If it hasn't the power to restart polls in stations where they were carried out properly, then it doesn't have the power to restart elections either, because that would require they have the power to annul all those proper polling stations.

So when the EC goes to the CC and demands the election be voided, they couldn't do that under section 236, they can only order individual fresh polls at problem polling stations.

Edited February 1, 2014 by BlueNoseCodger

[Ulic]

The EC have shown themselves to be a bunch of incompetent buffoons. After this election has been voided

and dates for a new one declared I hope a competent group can be found.

[BlueNoseCodger]

The EC have shown themselves to be a bunch of incompetent buffoons. After this election has been voided

and dates for a new one declared I hope a competent group can be found.

Why would it be voided? If its anything like the early-voting, then only a relatively small number of places are affected by Sutheps mob:

I'll be voting in one of the red ones, and I'm not expected them to be able to block me so I'm expecting the number of red provinces to be smaller than last time.

[airconsult]

The EC have shown themselves to be a bunch of incompetent buffoons. After this election has been voided

and dates for a new one declared I hope a competent group can be found.

Why would it be voided? If its anything like the early-voting, then only a relatively small number of places are affected by Sutheps mob:

I'll be voting in one of the red ones, and I'm not expected them to be able to block me so I'm expecting the number of red provinces to be smaller than last time.

As was pointed out by a reporter.

Over 6,600 polling stations just in bangkok.

Over 93,000 in the country.

While the ec will argue to close a station if even one protestor turns up - it will show up their incompetence in holding an election. In the law any thai citizen may sue an official for incompetence in their duty.

Sent from my GT-N7000 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Mosha]

The EC have shown themselves to be a bunch of incompetent buffoons. After this election has been voided

and dates for a new one declared I hope a competent group can be found.

Why would it be voided? If its anything like the early-voting, then only a relatively small number of places are affected by Sutheps mob:

I'll be voting in one of the red ones, and I'm not expected them to be able to block me so I'm expecting the number of red provinces to be smaller than last time.

I think the officials round here will die of boredom. ie Not much to do.

[spirit47]

Sutheps actions have guaranteed that there will be very little enticement money changing hands as far as PTP supporters are concerned, they are happy to be voting against all that Suthep stands for.

If the authorities finally do their job the south can complete the election on 23rd February?

So they will vote for a criminal Taksin regime, corruption, patronage, intimidation, violence, murder, liars and selfish...Good chose, some blodshed for dessert?

You all blame yourself by support them, they must go if you want progress and democracy.

Great post,very impressive. You have a real grasp of the current situation in Thailand and an uncanny understanding of each of the protagonists in the current conflict.

Thank you, I have only horse-sense and I believe that the most Thai are honest people. After all what I have seen, I know who are the bad, and who are the good. I like your style, you are english?

[ratcatcher]

Sutheps actions have guaranteed that there will be very little enticement money changing hands as far as PTP supporters are concerned, they are happy to be voting against all that Suthep stands for.

If the authorities finally do their job the south can complete the election on 23rd February?

So they will vote for a criminal Taksin regime, corruption, patronage, intimidation, violence, murder, liars and selfish...Good chose, some blodshed for dessert?

You all blame yourself by support them, they must go if you want progress and democracy.

Great post,very impressive. You have a real grasp of the current situation in Thailand and an uncanny understanding of each of the protagonists in the current conflict.

Thank you, I have only horse-sense and I believe that the most Thai are honest people. After all what I have seen, I know who are the bad, and who are the good. I like your style, you are english?

".....I know who are the bad, and who are the good."

But, more importantly,do you know who are the "ugly" ?

[Ricardo]

The EC have shown themselves to be a bunch of incompetent buffoons. After this election has been voided

and dates for a new one declared I hope a competent group can be found.

Why would it be voided? If its anything like the early-voting, then only a relatively small number of places are affected by Sutheps mob:

I'll be voting in one of the red ones, and I'm not expected them to be able to block me so I'm expecting the number of red provinces to be smaller than last time.

What does the red indicate, on your map ?

Clearly it's not those provinces which voted for the Dems, in 2011 ?

[Mosha]

The EC have shown themselves to be a bunch of incompetent buffoons. After this election has been voided

and dates for a new one declared I hope a competent group can be found.

Why would it be voided? If its anything like the early-voting, then only a relatively small number of places are affected by Sutheps mob:

I'll be voting in one of the red ones, and I'm not expected them to be able to block me so I'm expecting the number of red provinces to be smaller than last time.

What does the red indicate, on your map ?

Clearly it's not those provinces which voted for the Dems, in 2011 ?

No the Western border was mostly DEM