Thailand's EC to make a decision on Sunday poll today, Feb 7

[webfact]

ELECTION
EC to make a decision on Sunday poll today
The Nation



It will consider taking to court issue of 28 constituencies without candidates

BANGKOK: -- The Election Commission (EC) will meet today to make a decision on what should be done with the many problems involving last Sunday's election, which was marred by protests and disruptions.

Election commissioner Somchai Srisuthiyakorn said he and his four fellow commissioners would convene a special meeting at Thammasat University's Rangsit campus in Pathum Thani this morning to discuss the issue and seek ways of solving these problems.

He said the EC's legal advisers would also take part in the discussion. "There are several legal issues at hand, but I believe we will be able to find solutions," Somchai said, adding that he did not think any decision made at the meeting would affect the senatorial election scheduled for March 30.

Somchai said the EC had to be careful in making a decision in response to the ongoing problems in order to avoid possible legal action by people who are affected.

The problems the EC has to deal with are 28 constituencies with no candidates; more than 12,000 polling stations not being open to voters; about 10 million voters not being able to cast their ballots; the need for a new round of advance voting; and 16 constituencies having only one candidate each.

The EC will also decide today if it should seek a Constitutional Court ruling in relation to the 28 constituencies that have no candidates, Somchai said.

Officials without an office

Since anti-government protesters have besieged the Government Complex in Nonthaburi, which houses the EC office, the commissioners are having to work elsewhere.

Meanwhile, Somchai said the EC would invite some government figures and former election commissioner Sodsri Sattayathum to a meeting to discuss how the February 2 national election can be made successful.

The government figures to be invited are caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Phongthep Thepkanjana, caretaker PM's Office Minister Varathep Ratanakorn and Pheu Thai Party's strategy committee member Bhokin Bhalakula - all of whom are considered legal experts.

He said the EC might also offer explanations to foreign diplomats and representatives from international organisations about the problems regarding Sunday's election.

Bhokin yesterday blamed the EC for failing to prevent many of the problems from taking place, claiming these problems had been intentionally created to disrupt the poll.

Separately, opposition Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday insisted that the election was unconstitutional, and said the election should be rescheduled in a way that is acceptable to all parties involved "so the country can progress".

He said it appeared that the government had failed to use Sunday's election to claim legitimacy.

The election saw low voter turnouts in many areas and millions of "no votes", in which voters cast their ballot but did not choose a political party or candidate.


-- The Nation 2014-02-07

[thesetat2013]

They are not supposed to know who was voted for or if there were any no votes since they stated that all votes were to be kept with the different election comm locally and not counted until all voting in the country was completed.

So how do they know they had so many no votes?

The bigger question is if they know they have many no votes then they also know how well the PTP did in voting and what will happen with this info?

Sent from my GT-S5310 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[whybother]

They are not supposed to know who was voted for or if there were any no votes since they stated that all votes were to be kept with the different election comm locally and not counted until all voting in the country was completed.

So how do they know they had so many no votes?

The bigger question is if they know they have many no votes then they also know how well the PTP did in voting and what will happen with this info?

Sent from my GT-S5310 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

They said they won't announce the results, not they didn't know.

Sent from my phone ...

[thesetat2013]

They are not supposed to know who was voted for or if there were any no votes since they stated that all votes were to be kept with the different election comm locally and not counted until all voting in the country was completed.

So how do they know they had so many no votes?

The bigger question is if they know they have many no votes then they also know how well the PTP did in voting and what will happen with this info?

Sent from my GT-S5310 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

They said they won't announce the results, not they didn't know.

Sent from my phone ...

Read the last paragraph again

Sent from my GT-S5310 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Thait Spot]

PTP polls half the number from 2011.

Yingluck, the public has spoken.

Go pack your sandproof grundies

[whybother]

They are not supposed to know who was voted for or if there were any no votes since they stated that all votes were to be kept with the different election comm locally and not counted until all voting in the country was completed.

So how do they know they had so many no votes?

The bigger question is if they know they have many no votes then they also know how well the PTP did in voting and what will happen with this info?

Sent from my GT-S5310 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

They said they won't announce the results, not they didn't know.

Sent from my phone ...

Read the last paragraph again

Sent from my GT-S5310 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

The votes are counted publicly at polling booths. Therefore they are in the public domain. The EC would have collected all of the voting results from all of the polling places. PTP would have had their own people at all polling places, so they would also know what the results were. The EC said that they wouldn't officially announce the results for any electorates until all the voting had been completed.

[rubl]

It's only 7:22PM and no news yet. Might be a long session again this special meeting

[ShannonT]

PTP polls half the number from 2011.

Yingluck, the public has spoken.

Go pack your sandproof grundies

How do you know that? The election results haven't even been announced yet.

Do you have insider knowledge or are you trolling?

[whybother]

PTP polls half the number from 2011.

Yingluck, the public has spoken.

Go pack your sandproof grundies

How do you know that? The election results haven't even been announced yet.

Do you have insider knowledge or are you trolling?

It's in the news. You should read try reading it occasionally.

The voting results are announced at each polling booth. It's not like they're secret. The EC just decided not to publish the full results themselves.

Sent from my phone ...