195,000 police and troops to guard voters

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Two vote-buyers nabbed in Korat, Phuket; special plans for border.

The Royal Thai Police will deploy more than 183,000 officers to ensure law and order during polling on election day today, while 12,000 personnel from combined security forces have been sent to secure 2,157 poll stations in the three southernmost provinces.

 

Police chief General Wichean Potephosree said yesterday the police were ready to maintain law and order. Election activities, such as vote campaign signs or vote-wooing on the Internet, as well as sales of alcohol were prohibited from 6pm yesterday till midnight tonight. Police would also watch out for vote-buying attempts and set up checkpoints for security.

 

He said police had arrested vote-buying suspects on Friday with Bt130,000 in cash in Nakhon Ratchasima, and in Phuket with Bt69,000 in cash.

 

Police also warned people not to use camera phones to take pictures of their ballots or show marked ballots to others, as it was illegal and punishable with a year in jail plus a fine of up to Bt20,000.

 

Police inspector-general Sathaporn Laothong reported that 42 officers accused of taking sides with a political party were under investigation and so far 13 of them faced disciplinary action.

 

At least one officer would be present at each polling station, and they were expected to report on the vote counting to local stations and the Royal Thai Police. So, the results of both constituency MPs and party-list MPs should be known by 10pm, assistant police chief Pol Lt-General Jiroj Chaiyachit said.

 

Assistant police chief Pol Lt-General Worapong Chiewpreecha said that pre-election security operations from June 16-30 had led to the seizure of 1,048 guns, 16 war weapons, 12 explosives, while 901 wanted suspects were arrested for old cases and 11,423 arrests made in regard to drug cases. A "post-poll" police campaign would continue for a further four days.

 

Region 4 Internal Security Operations Command chief Maj-General Akara Thiproj said that 12,000 officers of combined security forces would provide security at 2,157 poll stations in the three southernmost provinces and that his office would be ready to assist in emergencies upon request, especially a natural disaster or an insurgent attack.

 

Meanwhile, senior election officials in the provinces bordering Cambodia said yesterday there was a contingency plan in case border clashes broke out, the Thai News Agency reported.

 

Si Sa Ket election director Mongkon Kamprao said that the transport of ballot boxes to 2,704 polling stations in the province had run smoothly.

 

In regard to the situation along the Thai-Cambodian border in Kantharalak district, Mongkon said if a border incident occurred during voting, officials stationed at polling stations would have to suspend the process and relocate polling stations to safe zones.

 

If a clash takes place as officials are counting votes at local polling stations, the vote-counting process would be halted. In this event, officials would close and lock ballot boxes, in line with EC regulations, before handing the boxes to election commissioners stationed at affected polling stations, he said.

 

Buri Ram's election director Thawee Chunkor said yesterday that eight polling stations in Ban Kruat district would be at risk if clashes broke out along the border.

 

According to reports and coordination with related-security agencies, the situation along the border in Buri Ram remains normal, Thawee said. If a row erupts and disrupts voting at the eight polling stations, authorities may consider postponing voting at those stations.