Voting canceled at 488 Bangkok polling stations, 42 districts nationwide

Caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra exercised her voting right this morning in Bung Kum district as the nation goes to the polls today in one of the most violent elections ever held. Photo: Thai PBS

Voting today has been cancelled at 488 polling stations of nearly 7,000 in Bangkok today due to disruption by protesters, according to the Election Commisison.

Meanwhile 42 out of 333 districts in several parts of Thailand have also been closed, including many southern provinces.

Problems included protesters blocking polling sites, election officials not showing up to conduct the polls and the delivery of ballots being prevented.

Voting, which started at 8am today, went unimpeded throughout Thailand’s north and northeast.

Bangkok’s votes will go uncounted, said BMA Permanent Secretary Ninnart Chalitanon, as election rules prohibit announcing results before voting is finished in all districts.

Only turnout data and absenteeism from today will be made public, Ninnart said.

In the south, elections were canceled in Phatthalung, Songkhla, Phuket, Surat Thani, Krabi and Satun provinces, as protesters prevented ballots from reaching post offices, MCOT reported.

 



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