ID :
144565
Sat, 10/02/2010 - 17:12
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http://m.oananews.org//node/144565
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Half of eligible voters expected to cast ballots in Surat Thani by-election
SURAT THANI, Oct 2 -- About half of the total eligible voters are expected to participate during a by-election in the southern province of Surat Thani’s Constituency 1 on October 30, a senior official said Saturday.
Provincial election director Thongchai Wattanapisit said he expected that only 50 per cent of the 354,782 eligible voters in the constituency would exercise their voting rights in the election.
The projected poor turnout is based on the people being weary of local politics, Mr Thongchai said.
Also, the current rainy season might keep some eligible voters at home, the Election Commission (EC) said earlier.
Applicants wishing to contest the by-election are required to submit applications between October 4 to 8, he said. Advance balloting will take place on October 16 and 17.
There will be 646 polling booths in the constituency and the EC has set aside Bt16 million for the event.
The by-election is being held to choose a replacement for former Democrat MP Chumphon Kanchana who faced a five-year ban from politics for submitting a false assets statement.
The executive committee of the ruling Democrat Party decided on Tuesday to field party secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban the by-election. He planned to resign his deputy prime minister post by next Friday to run in the by-election.
Mr Suthep left his parliamentary seat in July last year following an Election Commission ruling that he and 12 other Democrat MPs violated the Constitution by holding shares in companies involved with the mass media or state contracts. The court later dismissed the case against Mr Suthep following his resignation.
Meanwhile, Opposition Puea Thai Party will field Worawut Wichaidit as its candidate. Mr Worawut is a leading member of anti-government 'Red Shirt' United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD). (MCOT online news)
Provincial election director Thongchai Wattanapisit said he expected that only 50 per cent of the 354,782 eligible voters in the constituency would exercise their voting rights in the election.
The projected poor turnout is based on the people being weary of local politics, Mr Thongchai said.
Also, the current rainy season might keep some eligible voters at home, the Election Commission (EC) said earlier.
Applicants wishing to contest the by-election are required to submit applications between October 4 to 8, he said. Advance balloting will take place on October 16 and 17.
There will be 646 polling booths in the constituency and the EC has set aside Bt16 million for the event.
The by-election is being held to choose a replacement for former Democrat MP Chumphon Kanchana who faced a five-year ban from politics for submitting a false assets statement.
The executive committee of the ruling Democrat Party decided on Tuesday to field party secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban the by-election. He planned to resign his deputy prime minister post by next Friday to run in the by-election.
Mr Suthep left his parliamentary seat in July last year following an Election Commission ruling that he and 12 other Democrat MPs violated the Constitution by holding shares in companies involved with the mass media or state contracts. The court later dismissed the case against Mr Suthep following his resignation.
Meanwhile, Opposition Puea Thai Party will field Worawut Wichaidit as its candidate. Mr Worawut is a leading member of anti-government 'Red Shirt' United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD). (MCOT online news)
