EC issues updated report on voters' turnout in Feb 2 general election

BANGKOK, February 6 (TNA) - The Election Commission of Thailand (EC) has issued its updated report on results of the February 2 general election, stating that 47.72 per cent of the country's overall eligible voters cast votes nationwide, except those in nine southern Thai provinces where voters could not exercise their right because polling stations were blocked by anti-government protesters of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC). EC Secretary-General Puchong Nutrawong told journalists on Thursday that out of a total of 43.02 million eligible voters in Thailand, only 20.53 million exercised their right last Sunday and 11.97 per cent of overall ballots were invalidated, while 16.69 per cent of voters marked "Vote No" on their ballots. Puchong said that three northern Thai provinces of Chiang Mai, Lamphun and Mae Hong Son were the top three provinces with the highest voters' turnout in the country. In Bangkok alone, Puchong acknowledged, only 25.94 per cent of a total of about 4.37 million eligible voters turned out to cast their ballots, with 8.02 per cent of the ballots invalidated and 23.52 per cent marked "Vote No". According to the EC secretary-general, EC officials have not yet added scores on the February 2 general election with those collected on the advance voting on January 26 and those cast by Thais living overseas, as well as those of nine southern Thai provinces where voters could not enter the polling booths. Meanwhile, the EC was discussing at its Thursday's meeting on how to organise election in 28 constituencies in the nine southern Thai provinces and on whether there is a need to issue a new regulation to enable the poll to be held. (TNA)