ID :
134564
Sun, 07/25/2010 - 13:50
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http://m.oananews.org//node/134564
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Eligible voters cast ballots in Bangkok by-election; No irregularities reported
BANGKOK, July 25 - Eligible voters on Sunday went to cast ballots in a by-election in Bangkok’s Constituency 6 amid tight security provided at all 105 polling stations by police and election officials.
No irregularities have been reported, said Suthipol Thaweechaikarn, secretary-general of the Election Commission (EC), while inspecting polling booths in the constituency in the eastern suburbs of the capital.
The election agency has not been pressured to influence the by-election in Bangkok’s Constituency 6, Secretary-General Suthipol said, but ordered poll officials to perform their duty impartially.
Mr Suthipol said he expected about 60 per cent of eligible voters in the constituency would exercise their right to vote as targeted by the EC.
The by-election is being held to fill the seat left vacant by late Democrat MP Thiwa Ngernyuang who died of cancer on June 11.
Six candidates are contesting the by-election. However, the focus of the contest is between former deputy minister for foreign affairs Panich Vikitsreth of the ruling Democrat Party and Korkaew Pikulthong representing the major opposition Puea Thai Party.
Mr Korkaew is a core leader of the anti-government United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD). He is now imprisoned on charges of terrorism.
UDD protesters protest from March to May against the government, demanding that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva leave his post unconditionally. The Red Shirt demonstrations were dispersed by the military on May 19.
The constituency has 63,724 eligible voters of which some 16,000 cast their ballots during two days of advance voting last weekend.
The EC said earlier that unofficial results would be known at about 8pm Sunday evening, five hours after polling stations officially close. (MCOT online news)
No irregularities have been reported, said Suthipol Thaweechaikarn, secretary-general of the Election Commission (EC), while inspecting polling booths in the constituency in the eastern suburbs of the capital.
The election agency has not been pressured to influence the by-election in Bangkok’s Constituency 6, Secretary-General Suthipol said, but ordered poll officials to perform their duty impartially.
Mr Suthipol said he expected about 60 per cent of eligible voters in the constituency would exercise their right to vote as targeted by the EC.
The by-election is being held to fill the seat left vacant by late Democrat MP Thiwa Ngernyuang who died of cancer on June 11.
Six candidates are contesting the by-election. However, the focus of the contest is between former deputy minister for foreign affairs Panich Vikitsreth of the ruling Democrat Party and Korkaew Pikulthong representing the major opposition Puea Thai Party.
Mr Korkaew is a core leader of the anti-government United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD). He is now imprisoned on charges of terrorism.
UDD protesters protest from March to May against the government, demanding that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva leave his post unconditionally. The Red Shirt demonstrations were dispersed by the military on May 19.
The constituency has 63,724 eligible voters of which some 16,000 cast their ballots during two days of advance voting last weekend.
The EC said earlier that unofficial results would be known at about 8pm Sunday evening, five hours after polling stations officially close. (MCOT online news)
