Thai Voters Go To Polls To Elect Senators

BANGKOK, March 30 (TNA) – Voters across Thailand went to the polls since 8 a.m. on Sunday to elect their representatives to the Senate. The general atmosphere of the senate election in Northern Thailand is quite active. For example, Hmong hilltribes from three villages in the northern capital of Chiang Mai lined up even before the booths were opened and checked whether their names appeared on the voter list. A similar atmosphere was also seen in Mae Hong Son province when a large number of Karens from a village, located some 45 kilometres away from the provincial seat, came out in full force and exercised rights. There are 89 houses in the village. But a different picture was seen in the northeastern province of Chaiyaphum. Only a small number of voters turned up at a booth erected inside the compound of the governor office. In the South, tight security is provided in the southern resort province of Krabi as a large number of voters turned up at the polling booth number 10 in the provincial seat. In the violence-plagued southern border province of Narathiwat, a number of officials manning a booth for senate election were wounded early Sunday. Despite the bombing incident which occurred shortly after booths were opened nationwide at 8.00 a.m. local (0100 GMT), the Election Commission (EC) authorities are optimistic that a minimum of 70 per cent of eligible voters would exercise rights to elect 77 out of 150-member of the Upper House in this election. The rest of the total senators comes from appointment. (TNA)