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139791
Sun, 08/29/2010 - 19:38
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http://m.oananews.org//node/139791
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Voter turnout for Bangkok council elections less than expected: BMA
BANGKOK, Aug 29 – The voter turnout for Bangkok city and district councillor elections was less than the earlier expected somewhat over half of all eligible voters, a senior official of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) said on Sunday.
BMA permanent secretary Charoenrat Chutikarn told a press conference after the seven-hour election ended at 3pm that no disruptive incidents took place during the election.
The BMA earlier predicted that about 50 per cent of some four million eligible voters would go to the booths but Mr Charoenrat said those who had voted would probably finally tally at about 42 per cent, near the same number as the local elections four years ago.
Mr Charoenrat said a survey showed 98 per cent of Bangkokians were aware that local elections were being held today and 81 per cent said they would cast their ballots.
The BMA permanent-secretary said scattered showers on Sunday morning may have been a factor in the low voter turnout, but not a major reason as the weather was quite nice in the afternoon.
Defending the BMA for conducting sufficient voter awareness campaigns before the election, Mr Charoenrat said the city would study why so few voters participated.
Vicharn Meenchainant of the opposition Puea Thai Party which had also fielded candidates to contest in the elections told journalists in a separate press conference that his party projected a maximum of 40 per cent of eligible voters as having voted.
Mr Vicharn also said several irregularities, including vote buying, were seen during the election by people who reported them to his party.
Several political parties fielded candidates in the elections in which there were 61 seats on the city council and 256 seats in 36 out of 50 district councils being determined. The other 14 districts have already selected their district councillors.
Major political parties that had fielded candidates in the election besides the Puea Thai Party were the ruling Democrat Party and the New Politics Party formed by activists from the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) which is contesting an election for the first time.
Mr Vicharn predicted the Puea Thai Party candidates would win at least 20 seats in the city council and 120 seats in district councils
Meanwhile, Democrat Party director Nattapol Theepsuwan said Sunday evening that the poll results of the Democrat contestants for district council came out as projected.
Mr Nattapol said the party expects to win about 40 seats in the city council election and that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, as party leader, is satisfied with the projected result.
The Democrat director added that the party has also filed a complaint on election fraud in Klongtoey district.
BMA officials earlier expected that unofficial results of district council contests would be known at about 7pm because votes would be counted at the booths soon after closing. Results of the city council contest will be known around midnight. (MCOT online news)
BMA permanent secretary Charoenrat Chutikarn told a press conference after the seven-hour election ended at 3pm that no disruptive incidents took place during the election.
The BMA earlier predicted that about 50 per cent of some four million eligible voters would go to the booths but Mr Charoenrat said those who had voted would probably finally tally at about 42 per cent, near the same number as the local elections four years ago.
Mr Charoenrat said a survey showed 98 per cent of Bangkokians were aware that local elections were being held today and 81 per cent said they would cast their ballots.
The BMA permanent-secretary said scattered showers on Sunday morning may have been a factor in the low voter turnout, but not a major reason as the weather was quite nice in the afternoon.
Defending the BMA for conducting sufficient voter awareness campaigns before the election, Mr Charoenrat said the city would study why so few voters participated.
Vicharn Meenchainant of the opposition Puea Thai Party which had also fielded candidates to contest in the elections told journalists in a separate press conference that his party projected a maximum of 40 per cent of eligible voters as having voted.
Mr Vicharn also said several irregularities, including vote buying, were seen during the election by people who reported them to his party.
Several political parties fielded candidates in the elections in which there were 61 seats on the city council and 256 seats in 36 out of 50 district councils being determined. The other 14 districts have already selected their district councillors.
Major political parties that had fielded candidates in the election besides the Puea Thai Party were the ruling Democrat Party and the New Politics Party formed by activists from the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) which is contesting an election for the first time.
Mr Vicharn predicted the Puea Thai Party candidates would win at least 20 seats in the city council and 120 seats in district councils
Meanwhile, Democrat Party director Nattapol Theepsuwan said Sunday evening that the poll results of the Democrat contestants for district council came out as projected.
Mr Nattapol said the party expects to win about 40 seats in the city council election and that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, as party leader, is satisfied with the projected result.
The Democrat director added that the party has also filed a complaint on election fraud in Klongtoey district.
BMA officials earlier expected that unofficial results of district council contests would be known at about 7pm because votes would be counted at the booths soon after closing. Results of the city council contest will be known around midnight. (MCOT online news)
