Island gears up for OrBorTor elections

PHUKET: Moves to publicize the August 30 elections for Tambon Administration Organization (OrBorTor) members are underway, with the Phuket Election Commission Bureau (PECB) and the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) lending a hand. At a meeting at the PECB offices yesterday, OrBorJor President Dr Prasit Koeysiripong pledged four sound trucks to promote the elections for 10 days, while the PECB pledged equipment for candidates to campaign with and said it will publicize the elections through local radio station broadcasts and in local newspapers, and have stickers printed up and handed out. The drive to support the elections follows Dr Prasit’s discovery that few people were aware of the upcoming elections. “This year Phuket citizens are not well aware of and don’t realize the importance of the OrBorTor elections. In the last OrBorTor elections, only 60%-70% of eligible voters exercised their right to vote. There should have been about 90%,” he said. He also suggested that the PECB educate all candidates about their duties, roles and responsibilities as OrBorTor members. “This will assist them in creating good policies,” he said. This year’s OrBorTor elections, which are held every four years, will choose 174 members from 378 candidates for positions with 12 of Phuket’s 13 OrBorTor. The one exception is Tambon Pa Khlok, which had its inaugural election two years ago. All Thais 18 years old or more who have registered as living in a district for at least two years are obliged by law to vote in OrBorTor elections. Polling will be from 8 am to 3 pm on August 30. Voters must cast their ballots at the polling station nearest their registered address. Details of the locations of polling booths will be posted oustide OrBorTor offices during the coming week.