Thailand's EC opens center for rapid reports on unofficial election results

BANGKOK, March 15 (TNA) - The Election Commission of Thailand (ECT) has opened a center for its rapid reports on unofficial results of the country's new general election later this month. ECT Chairman Itthiporn Boonprakong presided over a ceremony to open the center in Bangkok on March 14, aimed to work with its partners, including the Digital Government Development Agency (DGA) and digital TV channels, to closely follow vote counts after the closure of ballot boxes nationwide at 5pm on the national poll day, March 24, for rapid reports on unofficial election results to the public. ECT Secretary-General Charungwit Pumma later told journalists that the ECT has also launched its "Rapid Report" real time-application, through which people can download and access on their smart phones to follow up unofficial election results. According to the ECT secretary-general, unofficial election results of up to 95 per cent are likely to be publicly announced within three hours after the closure of ballot boxes nationwide. The ECT secretary-general said that the "Rapid Report" real time-application will also be used to support the management and control of election processes, as well as the ECT's timely solution to emerging problems in order to successfully carry out all the national poll processes. For some remote areas without the Internet, the ECT secretary-general stated that election sub-committees in the areas are authorized to announce the unofficial election results to people. Meanwhile, the MCOT HD (30) digital TV, run by Thai News Agency (TNA), is also well-prepared to provide the public with its "rapid reports" on unofficial election results after the closure of ballot boxes nationwide. (TNA)