Voters urged to cast ballots on Feb 2 general election

BANGKOK, January 29 (TNA) - The caretaker government’s Center for Maintaining Peace and Order (CMPO) has urged Thai eligible voters to exercise their right on the February 2 general election. CMPO Director Police Captain Chalerm Yubamrung made the call on Wednesday, one day after the caretaker government and the Election Commission of Thailand (EC) decided to proceed with the February 2 national poll, promising that police will do the best to protect voters who turn out to cast their ballots. Police Captain Chalerm, who is also Caretaker Labor Minister, blamed leader of the anti-government People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) Suthep Thaugsuban, who is a former deputy prime minister from Thailand's Democrat Party, for causing disturbances in constituencies, noting that some protest leaders could cast their votes while they were blocking others from doing so, apparently referring to last Sunday's advance voting. Chalerm stated that eligible voters should not be afraid and should go to vote, saying that the CMPO has assigned Assistant National Police Chief Police Lieutenant General Jakthip Chaijinda to deploy police to secure polling units and this time police will not let demonstrators block polling stations anymore. The CMPO chief also warned liquor and poultry suppliers to stop sponsoring anti-government protests; otherwise, their tax payments will be examined. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), in the meantime, sought the CMPO's protection for its staffs in the polling on February 2. while three Bangkok district chiefs resigned as election chiefs in their districts for safety concerns. According to City Clerk Ninnart Chalitanont, the BMA will find successors tp the chiefs of Bang Kapi, Yannawa and Bang Kholaem Districts who resigned as election chiefs in their district and their resignation would not, thus, affect the February 2 general election. Meanwhile, CMPO Secretary Tarit Pengdith, who is also Director-General of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), revealed that Police Lieutenant General Jakthip will meet the PDRC leader on January 31 to ask him to let eligible voters exercise their right on the coming Sunday. Tarit also announced that the CMPO would reopen government offices on February 3 and would seek assistance from government officials, police and soldiers to do it. Anti-government protesters have closed some important government offices to push for the resignation of the caretaker government and a domestic political reform before the new election. About 70 companies of police have heavily guarded the Narcotic Suppression Bureau, where the CMPO stands, with barriers and barbed wire placed to restrict its access.(TNA)