Unofficial voter turnout in Thai election stands at 45.8%

Unofficial reports show that around 45.8 percent of the total of 44.6 million eligible Thai voters cast ballots in Sunday's general election, secretary-general of the Election Commission (EC) said Monday. The figures did not include voters in nine provinces where voting was canceled, Puchong Nutrawong was quoted by Bangkok Post as saying. The Democrat Party, which boycotted the general election, is set to petition the Constitutional Court to nullify the election, deputy party leader Ong-art Klampaiboon said. Ong-art also requested the caretaker government to revoke the emergency decree, citing its negative impact on the country's tourism and economy. A 60-day state of emergency has been imposed in the capital and some nearby areas, effective from Jan. 22. Regardless of the election, anti-government protests would continue to push for the stepping-down of the caretaker government and implementation of a national reform, protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban said on Monday. Protesters will continue to seize government offices, according to Suthep. Several hundred protesters on Monday besieged the Office of the Permanent Secretary for Defense Ministry, where caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and several cabinet members have being working temporarily. More than 10,000 polling stations in 67 constituencies in 18 provinces were forced to cancel voting on Sunday, due to protests, or insufficient election officials and ballots. EC member Somchai Srisuthiyakorn suggested a new round of voting not be held until solutions are found to the current political conflict. Otherwise, any electoral process will inevitably be disrupted, Somchai said, indicating a new round of voting might be postponed for one month, or much longer. The EC is expected to discuss on Monday a new round of advance voting for 83 constituencies where advance voting on Jan. 26 was obstructed by protesters, but no conclusions have been disclosed yet.