Early Election Chaos
A total of 440,000 people nationwide could not cast their advance votes on Sunday as a total of 89 constituencies out of 375 have been closed according to the Election Commission (EC).
TEBA brings you the latest on Bangkok Shutdown
Following information is only for business security-alert purposes and not to be treated as political viewpoints.
26 January 2014: Early Election chaos
TEBA Summary:
- A total of 440,000 people nationwide could not cast their advance votes on Sunday as a total of 89 constituencies out of 375 have been closed according to the Election Commission (EC).
- Caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra will meet the Election Commission chairman on Tuesday, caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Phongthep Thepkanjana said Saturday.
- The Centre for Maintaining Peace and Order (CMPO) will open from Tuesday until next Monday to receive complaints about damage or inconvenience caused from the “shutdown” operation in Bangkok and other provinces and order arrest of 16 PDRC leaders.
- Suthin Tarathin, a core protest leader, was shot dead at Wat Sri Iam in the Bang Na area, while three others were injured in an attack at a polling station in the Bang Na area of Bangkok, according to media reports.
- The government will not postpone the Feb 2 election as 90% of advance voting can be completed, according to Surapong Tovichakchaikul, the caretaker deputy prime minister and foreign minister.
Actual summary of activities:
- Chartthai Pattana coalition party backs joint discuss between the caretaker government and the poll agency on rescheduling election date.
- Pressure groups including farmers, environmentalists, and non-governnment organisations have demanded the government and the anti-government People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) negotiate to trade off reforms path and timeframe of election postponement.
- Protesters of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) have moved from the rally site at Ratchaprasong intersection to continue campaigning for people to join the shutdown of Bangkok, calling for reforms before an election, reports said.
- People’s Democratic Reform Committee secretary general Suthep Thaugsuban has sent a letter to US President BarackObama, affirming non-violent campaign of the PDRC to fight against a corrupt and “dictatorial” regime.
- Around 10 former senior Commerce Ministry officials plan to join the Pathumwan stage on Saturday evening in a move criticised by caretaker Deputy Commerce Minister Yanyong Phuanrach.
- Not to be outdone by protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban’s letter to Barack Obama, the lawyer for fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra has sent his own letter to the US president to make a case for democracy.
- Their Majesties the King and Queen have provided financial help to pay medical and funeral costs for civilians and authorities injured and killed during the demonstrations led by the People’s Democratic Reform Committee, according to a letter issued by the Office of His Majesty’s Principal Private Secretary.
- Voters who managed to cast an advance ballot on Sunday walked quickly away and happy, but those who were prevented from doing so angrily blamed the Election Commission (EC) and anti-government protesters for stripping them of their basic rights.
- Around 800 anti-government supporters came close to blows with 200 red-shirt supporters as they marched to an advance polling station in Muang district on Sunday morning.
