Over 800,000 registered for early voting in Bangkok

Over 800,000 individuals have registered for early voting in Bangkok, and authorities are taking security seriously. Nearly 3,000 security officers deployed to maintain order, Bangkok Post reported.

A deputy commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB), Pol. Maj. Gen. Jirasant Kaewsaeng-ek, stated yesterday that security measures are in place for today’s voting. A total of 1,421 polling stations have been set up for 809,748 people registered for advance voting outside their constituencies, with 1,550 officers on security duty.

An additional 54 polling stations have also been established for 4,329 individuals registered for advance voting in their constituencies, with 62 security officers deployed, said Jirasant.

Rapid response teams, officers assigned to investigate election law violations, and traffic police have also been put on duty, bringing the total number of officers on standby for advance voting in Bangkok to 2,997.

Jirasant mentioned that patrols have been increased to prevent vote-buying and the vandalism of campaign posters. He also revealed that on Thursday and Friday, police cracked down on crime ahead of the advance voting today and election day on May 14. A total of 231 wanted suspects were apprehended, while 88 were arrested on computer crime charges.

Twenty-eight unlicensed firearms, 31 licensed firearms, 2,437 ammunition rounds, 25,740 methamphetamine pills, and 196.14 grammes of crystal meth were confiscated. Alcohol sales are banned nationwide until 6pm today, with a strict prohibition also enforced on betting involving the outcome of the polls.

Chokchai Ngamwong, another MPB deputy commissioner, anticipated traffic congestion around some polling stations where large numbers of people have registered for advance voting. Ramkhamhaeng University will function as a polling station for 52,771 people for the 14th constituency in Bang Kapi district. A total of 40,750 people have also registered for advance voting for the second constituency in Pathumwan district at a polling station at the Siam Paragon shopping mall. For the sixth constituency in Din Daeng district, 25,383 people have registered for advance voting at the Thai-Japan Bangkok Youth Centre, Ngamwong stated.

According to the Election Commission, 2,350,969 individuals have registered for early voting nationwide. There are 52,287,045 eligible voters in this poll.