Thai EC ready for Senate election

BANGKOK, March 29 (TNA) - The Election Commission of Thailand (EC) has announced that the election agency and booth committee members are now ready for the nationwide Senate election on March 30, inviting eligible voters to exercise their right. EC Chairman Supachai Somcharoen confirmed the readiness on Saturday, saying that officials stationing at 93,618 booths and over one million committee members countrywide are now ready to assist voters during Sunday's Senate election. Supachai invited voters to turn out to elect senators to monitor lawmakers and issue laws prudently, as well as to strip corrupted officials. Supachai insisted that the EC is determined to have a new set of senators specified by the law and it is not rushing for the Senate election so that new senators would strip the Caretaker Prime Minister and Defence Minister Yingluck Shinawatra as many have charged. Supachai said he is optimistic that no unrest would erupt during Sunday’s senate election, but the EC has requested the military and police to help patrol as precaution. A total of 77 senators will be elected to sit in the 150-member of Thailand's Upper House. The rest come from appointments. On reports that 53 political parties urging the EC to organise a fresh general election for House of Representatives members (MPs) within 45 or 60 days, the EC chairman revealed that the EC would hold a meeting to consider this issue early next month, noting that the EC would try to organise the new general election as soon as possible so that a new prime minister could be appointed. (TNA)