Congrats Thailand, we’ve made it through the first election weekend, one with a booze-free Saturday night no less.
Hundreds of thousands of voters crowded into schools, parking lots and temples across Thailand yesterday eager to cast an early ballot a week before the country’s first election in eight years.
https://twitter.com/fusespade/status/1107150407992668161?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1107150407992668161&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.com%2Fthai%2Fthailand-47602996
Though the actual numbers of voters counrtywide has yet to be disclosed, Bangkok Deputy Permanent Secretary Silapasuay Raweesangsoon last night revealed that, in the capital alone, 810,306 Bangkokians or 87.22% of 929,061 pre-registered for early voting cast their ballots yesterday.
#เลือกตั้งล่วงหน้า #Thailand # ThaiElection19 #WatThadthong #Ekamai early voting situation, crowded pic.twitter.com/FFKJJdEZKA
— Rajprasong_News Analysis (@Rajprasong_News) March 17, 2019
Bang Kapi was the district with the best turn out, with 52,515 voters, followed by Bang Khun Thian with 36,755 and Huai Khwang with 35,268, reported Khaosod.
Statistics showed that, in every district, at least 80 percent of all registered early voters showed up to cast their ballot.
#เลือกตั้งล่วงหน้า #Thailand #เขตบางกะปิ #ThaiElection19 Ch 3’s Thapanee says as long as kilometer line of voters are at Bangkapi as we speak, EC Officials here says all who show up will get to vote, which could be way into the night pic.twitter.com/XL2tmlqP9o
— Rajprasong_News Analysis (@Rajprasong_News) March 17, 2019
More than 2.6 million Thais are expected to vote before the official March 24 poll date.
Since a 2014 coup ousted then-Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, the junta has repeatedly postponed democratic elections — much to the chagrin of the Thai public.
“I finally have a chance to cast my vote as I’ve waited for so long,” 48-year-old Paka Kaengkhiew said as she stood in line in front of Bangkok’s Phra Khanong district office.
Amazing Thailand #Thailand #เลือกตั้งล่วงหน้า #เลือกตั้ง62 #บัตรคนจน #ประชาธิปไตย pic.twitter.com/uJDz4FvZMb
— nvntayoth (@nvntayoth) March 17, 2019
Turn out appears to be very good in other regions as well.
In southern Thailand, the Trang Provincial Election Commission revealed that almost 95 percent of early registered voters exercised their rights yesterday, according Manager. While in up north in Chiang Mai, Chiang Mai News reports that 42,348 citizens or about 90 percent of the 47,162 early-voting registrants turned up.
#เลือกตั้งล่วงหน้า #Thailand #ThaiElection19 #Chiengmai 48,000 registered for early voting here at International Convention Centre, plan to get here carefully, there are public transport to take voters there @Mike_Chiengmai pic.twitter.com/WuLKViip8s
— Rajprasong_News Analysis (@Rajprasong_News) March 17, 2019
One woman wrote on Twitter that she lined up for almost three hours in order to vote in Chiang Mai.
เกือบ 3 ชั่วโมงของการเข้าแถวยืนรอเข้าไปในคูหา เป็นการเลือกตั้งที่นานมากสำหรับ 3 ชั่วโมง การจัดการรองรับคนมาใช้สิทธิ์ห่วยมาก(ขอโทษที่หยาบคาย) โซนภาคเหนือรอแค่แปปเดียวเพื่อนเราที่เป็นคนเหนือรอแค่30นาทีก็ได้เข้าคูหาละอิเรา 2ชั่วโมงกว่า คุณพระ!!!!! #เลือกตั้งนอกเขต #เชียงใหม่ pic.twitter.com/BiqfZtCiOa
— F•E•R•N (@kasibabor) March 17, 2019
Celebrities at the polls
Along with voters living outside their electorates, seniors and disabled citizens, several celebrities also cast their votes yesterday.
One of them was 22-year-old Cherprang Areekul, leader of the Thai idol girl group BNK48, who told Channel 3 news she was exercising her voting rights for the very first time at the Bang Khae district polling stations.
“I’m very excited. I’ve been following a lot of election news for. This is my first time exercising my vote,” she said in a broadcast interview. “ I want to invite everyone to cast their votes… every voice counts.”
Former PM Thaksin Shinawatra’s daughters Pintongtha Kunakornwong and Peathongtarn Shinawatra were also spotted casting their votes in the Khan Na Yao District station.
Peathongtarn was reportedly greeted at the station with celebratory flowers from her fan club, having just came from her own engagement ceremony in the morning.
High Expectations
There are “high expectations” for this year’s election, said Sudarat Keyuraphan, a prime ministerial candidate for Pheu Thai — the junta-loathed party that garnered the most parliamentary seats in 2011’s election.
“The (junta) says the country is under peace and order but… the people have no hope,” she told reporters at the Pheu Thai headquarters. “We are confident… we will be the party that voters go for the most.”
Analysts say the new electoral system favors the army-aligned party fronted by junta leader Prayut Chan-O-Cha, who is running to be civilian prime minister after a government is formed, with the Economist going so far as to declare that the results will have no effect on the military’s firm control of the levers of power.
But voters on Sunday still held on to hopes for change.
The future is in our hands: Thailand General Election 2019. #เลือกตั้ง62 #ThaiElection2019 pic.twitter.com/10tjpU9zEq
— Titipol Phakdeewanich (@Titipol) March 12, 2019
“I vote today in the hope for better change,” said 53-year-old Mart Bupa.
More than 51 million Thais are eligible to vote in the official March 24 election, which will be held under a new military-scripted constitution.
Additional reporting by AFP.
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