Chonburi Gov. Khomsan
Ekachai casts his ballot at the Bang Pla Soi Sub-District.
Teerarak Suthathiwong and Thanachot Anuwan
The anti-government protests that forced the closure of 11 percent
of Thailand’s polling locations left the Eastern Seaboard largely
unscathed, with voting in Sunday’s national election proceeding smoothly
across the region.
Incidents at two East Pattaya ballot boxes - including the discovery of
a dummy hand grenade - marked the only disruptions in Chonburi for
voting for new members of parliament and neither forced the polls to
close.
The situation in the east stood in stark contrast to conditions in 16
provinces where voting was either canceled entirely or at selected
stations. The Thailand Election Commission said voting proceeded in only
89 percent of 93,952 poll locations across the kingdom.
What appeared to be an M6
grenade in the parking lot outside the voting station at Nernplabwan
School turned out to be only a harmless practice grenade.
The E.C. cancelled voting entirely in 14 provinces in
the South, including Trang, Phuket, Krabi and Phang Nga. Another nine
provinces, including Bangkok, could only open polling booths in some
areas.
Total voter turnout - either due to closed stations or fear of violence
at polls - led to record low voter turnout, with only 45 percent of
eligible voters taking part. In Chonburi, only 28.3 percent of voters
turned out while only 25.8 percent cast ballots in Rayong.
In the last national election in 2011, 77 percent of Thais cast ballots.
With insufficient numbers of MPs elected to seat parliament, the E.C.
has scheduled another round of elections for Feb. 23. Meanwhile, the
People’s Democratic Reform Committee vowed to continue disrupting any
poll. No election results will be announced until all constituencies are
full.
The PDRC, which has closed down intersections and stormed government
offices in Bangkok, was felt but not seen in Pattaya. Seven apparently
sympathetic poll workers at the Nongprue Kindergarten station resigned
on Election Day in an attempt to close the station. It didn’t work: Vote
director Anukit Thongplang replaced all seven in times for polls to
open.
The threat looked more serious at Nernplabwan School where poll director
Apsith Sukhontros found what appeared to be an M6 grenade in the parking
lot outside the voting station. Police called to the scene discovered,
however, that the “bomb” was only a harmless practice grenade.
Investigators speculated it was left to cause panic and disrupt voting.
Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome
casts his vote at Pattaya School No. 5.
Theerawit Thongnok, director of the Chonburi Election
Commission, inspected the location and opened the station as planned,
although voter turn out proved very low.
Palang Chon Party candidates Santsak Ngampichet and Poramet Ngampichet
turned out, however, to cast votes for their own re-election.
Poramet faced Mahachon Party candidate Suphap Numnoi in the Region 7
election. The region contained 143 polling stations with 141,718
eligible voters. But by the time the polls closed at 3 p.m., only 33,924
had voted and, of those, only 15,356 were considered valid. More than
10,000 ballots were spoiled, perhaps intentionally in protest, according
to district director Theeravit Thongnok.
Chonburi Deputy Gov Pongsak Preechawit inspected polling places in
Banglamung, Sattahip, Koh Samet and other Chonburi cities and reported
that while voter turnout was low - 30 percent in Region 7 - voting had
proceeded smoothly.
Chonburi is divided into eight electoral districts with 1,379 polling
stations and 1,001,146 eligible voters. Only 283,010 voters cast
ballots.
Chonburi Gov. Khomsan Ekachai cast his ballot in Bang Pla Soi
Sub-District. He implored civil servants to be neutral in the ongoing
political debate and take their family to vote so that they would be
good examples of supporting democracy.
The Chonburi Public Relations Department contributed to this report.
