Wedding double booking bumps Phuket MP registration

PHUKET: A wedding booked at the Community Hall in Phuket Town means that candidates wanting to contest the upcoming elections must now register at a makeshift center at Provincial Hall.

“The couple had booked their wedding before the election day of July 3 was announced and they have already sent out their wedding invitations,” Phuket Election Commission Director Kitipong Thiengkunakrit explained yesterday.

“The wedding day is on May 29, but they will need the venue on May 28 to put up their decorations.

“May 29 is also the last day for registering as a candidate in the upcoming election,” he added.

Registrations will be accepted between 8:30am and 4:30pm at a registration center set up on the second floor of the new building at Provincial Hall from May 24 to 29.

Early voting will be held on June 26, with polls open from from 8am to 3pm, said Mr Kitipong.

People living in Phuket but registered as residents in other provinces have until June 2 to register in order to be able to cast their votes early – saving them from having to travel home on election day, he added.

To register for early voting people can register in person at the nearest district office or municipality or have a friend or relative register for them using a power of attorney.

Also, people can register for early voting by post, by sending to their nearest district office or municipality a completed early voting registration form (available at district offices, the Phuket Election Commission Office or by download at www.ect.go.th) with a copy of the registrant’s ID card.

Once registered, people will be able to cast their votes for representatives in their home provinces at Phuket Community Hall on June 26.

Phuket residents wanting to vote early must first register in person or through a representative with a power of attorney. Registrations must be filed at district offices or municipality offices between June 13 and 17.

Documents must be provided to verify the reason for not being available to vote on election day.

For details of where polling booths for early voting will be, click here to see the Phuket Gazette‘s earlier report.

Mr Kitipong had good news for Thais who cast ballots by post in the general election four years ago.

They will not have to return to their home provinces to cast regular ballots in the general election on July 3.

“People can cancel the ‘request’ to cast postal votes by visiting their local district office or municipality before June 2. They must do this in person or have a person with a power of attorney act on their behalf,” Mt Kitipong said.

He reminded Thais that they must always have their ID card and at least a copy of their house registration document (tabien baan) with them when dealing with local authorities.

— Pimwara Choksakulpan