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Advance election fails in 89 constituencies, protesters block polling booths
Advance elections in 89 of 375 constituencies nationwide were
disrupted Sunday, Jan. 26, after anti-government protesters sealed off the
polling stations, according to Thailand’s Election Commission (EC).
Somchai Srisuthiyakorn, EC member for election administration, said 33 blockaded
polling stations were in Bangkok and 56 others in southern provinces, impeding
440,000 eligible voters from exercising their rights.
About two million people throughout the country registered to cast their ballots
a week ahead of the Feb 2 general election, representing 22 percent of eligible
voters.
“Sunday’s incidents have led to the Election Commission’s concern that Feb 2
will be plagued with chaos and violence which will possibly lead to deaths and
injuries,” he said.
Pro-government red shirt activists attacked anti-government protesters of the
People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) at the polling booth inside Wat
Sri-eam, killing Suthin Tarathin, 52, and injuring five other people.
About 300 PDRC protesters blocked the polling station at Wat Sri-eam and told
election officials to stop the advance election. They were later surrounded and
attacked by about 100 red shirt people, some of them carrying weapons.
Somchai said the EC has officially sought assistance from the Defense Ministry,
Interior Ministry and National Police Bureau since Thursday but it was found
that police and military personnel had difficulty in providing support in six
southern provinces.
If all factions insisted on exercising tough action against each other, serious
clashes resulting in riot will be inevitable, he said.
He said he has asked caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul,
in his capacity as an advisory chairman of the Centre for Managing Peace and
Order (CMPO), national police chief and permanent secretary for defense to an
inspection trip to personally observe the authorities’ difficulties in
organizing the election.
“If the caretaker government agrees with scheduling a new election date, it must
issue a royal decree before Feb 2. A delay will cost the state Bt300 million per
day,” he said. (MCOT)
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