All systems go for the referendum - just don't drop the ballot boxes!

[webfact]

All systems go for the referendum - just don't drop the ballot boxes!

 

Image: Thairath

 

BANGKOK: -- An electoral commission official was left with a red face after demonstrating the new indestructible ballot boxes that the government got on the cheap.

 

Demonstrating to a packed news conference how the new plastic boxes would last for the next ten years he three one to the floor, reported Thairath.

 

It shattered.

 

"Ooh - I must have thrown it with too much force," backtracked Somchai Sriuthiyakorn. "Or I must have thrown it in the wrong way. Whatever, in normal use they will never break, " he guaranteed.

 

This was after he had spent several minutes proudly showing off voting procedures and the new boxes. The old ones were paper covered in PVC and could only be used at two elections he said. 

 

The new ones were only 244 baht each, he said, and we have got 50,000 of them, half what is needed.

 

They didn't manage to make the rest in time.

 

They will last for many elections, he added. At least ten years use. 

 

But when the demonstration came so did the egg on Somchai's face as the box bust.

 

Rather than stopping digging when in a hole, Somchai then invited reporters to come and stand on them. The boxes were a success at last with no further breakage.

 

The clear plastic will be great for stopping electoral fraud, Somchai had said. 

 

The public will be able to see they are empty when the polls open at 8am on Sunday and they have not been added to when the polls shut at 4pm.

 

They are much better value for money than the old ones, he said.

 

 

Source: Thairath

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2016-08-03

[NongKhaiKid]

"  I must have thrown it in the wrong way.  "   !

When throwing something on the ground is there a right way  ?

 

Bought on the cheap maybe but what does the official invoice for payment say  ?

[harada]

Of more concern will be the ones that simply disappear into thin air.

[Berty100]

5 minutes ago, harada said:

Of more concern will be the ones that simply disappear into thin air.

 

 

Or the one that APPEAR out of thin air.

[maoro2013]

So they only have half the boxes that are needed.

 

Well that leaves the old style ones for everybody else, if in fact any are left after the previous two elections.

 

Do the boxes make any difference, or was this a decision based on economics and not electoral fairness?

[DoctorG]

Do a test drop in private before the real demo. That is the way egg and face do not meet. It is called proactivity. Unknown it seems in thailand.

[IamNoone88]

Probably available in well know supermarkets for a lot less.

[AlQaholic]

They could just buy some cheap garbage cans at Tesco and make a hole in the lid for the ballot, simple. That way they have garbage where it belongs.....

[dotpoom]

My own government back home a few years back spent millions of pounds on new computers for an election....they never were put into service as they discovered they could be tampered with. Not only did they lose all that money but at least the same again keeping them in storage.

   So...."Well done Thailand" I say..... and to all the usual bunch of "knockers" when stories like this crop up, I suggest you take a long good look at your own country before ridiculing others. 

Edited August 3, 2016 by dotpoom

[Bob12345]

Quote

They will last for many elections, he added. At least ten years use.

If they last 10 years they will only last 1 election (the upcoming one).

What rock does this guy live under?

[gregk0543]

I feel for him.  At least he had the guts to try.

[DrTuner]

The only thing transparent in the elections seems to be the ballot box. Great going.

[cumgranosalum]

As a democratic tool referendums are limited in their use - as we have seen in Scotland and UK recently - here it seems ironic that a populist undemocratic tool is being used to verify a system of government that clearly falls short of accepted democratic characteristics.

[sahibji]

boxes   are fine but about the possibility of tempering with them - i mean the people who are going to use them.that is where the test lies.

[Lupatria]

I don't believe in Karma and all that stuff,- but in this case I start doubting...

Edited August 3, 2016 by Lupatria

[mesterm]

I mean the story was funny and all, but the video shows that it was just a small chip off the edge. Hardly "shattered", as the news report states. Do they really have to sensationalize everything this much? Sigh.

[williamgeorgeallen]

doubt those boxes are army proof, they have a big hole in the top for a start.

[waldroj]

Doesn't this story just epitomize the clown acts of the junta and its cronies.

If it weren't something as serious as the future of Thailand at stake you would never stop laughing at them.

[Kru Baa]

2 hours ago, dotpoom said:

My own government back home a few years back spent millions of pounds on new computers for an election....they never were put into service as they discovered they could be tampered with. Not only did they lose all that money but at least the same again keeping them in storage.

   So...."Well done Thailand" I say..... and to all the usual bunch of "knockers" when stories like this crop up, I suggest you take a long good look at your own country before ridiculing others. 

Kiss ass

[elgordo38]

1 hour ago, mesterm said:

I mean the story was funny and all, but the video shows that it was just a small chip off the edge. Hardly "shattered", as the news report states. Do they really have to sensationalize everything this much? Sigh.

I watched this episode on the Asian channel it had a big open crack down the one corner. I hope this is not a bad omen. 

[lvr181]

The "unbreakable box" broke, they only got half of what they ordered. Will they be able to accurately count the voting papers? 

 

Something about organising a party in a brewery comes to mind. 

[arithai12]

At least, no tek wood boxes.

[farcanell]

35 minutes ago, lvr181 said:

The "unbreakable box" broke, they only got half of what they ordered. Will they be able to accurately count the voting papers? 

 

Something about organising a party in a brewery comes to mind. 

 

What?

theres counting involved too?

now that seems like a waste of time!

[mesterm]

1 hour ago, elgordo38 said:

I watched this episode on the Asian channel it had a big open crack down the one corner. I hope this is not a bad omen. 

 

Oh I see.

[tuanku]

Breakable boxes for a broken political system. Seems appropriate.

[mankondang]

11 hours ago, harada said:

Of more codon'tn will be the ones that simply disappear into thin air.

 

Yes the ones that are thrown up, but dont come down. And some when you throw one up, then two or three come down.

[JAG]

6 hours ago, farcanell said:

 

What?

theres counting involved too?

now that seems like a waste of time!

Don't fret, the totals were decided weeks ago!

[BwindiBoy]

A story about tuppaware gets this much attention?  They are really clutching at straws.

[ByblosYuNaiSoi]

 

Don't drop the ballot boxes...or the soap...

[biplanebluey]

On 8/3/2016 at 9:15 AM, Bob12345 said:

If they last 10 years they will only last 1 election (the upcoming one).

What rock does this guy live under?

 

 HaHa yes Bob ---- I thought the same thing