Eager Thai voters queue up on Sunday in front of their polling stations, even before their official opening at 8am for the general election. They waited to exercise their voting rights in the historic national poll, which is expected to decide the country’s future.
Voters of various generations are having to tolerate the heat and, in many northern provinces, heavy downpours.
The Election Commission has high hopes that the voter turnout will be as high as 80%, after witnessing a turnout for advance voting of about 90%.
10.30am – Paetongtarn Shinawatra, PM candidate from the Pheu Thai Party, along with her husband Pitaka Suksawat at polling station No. 15 in Ram Inthra area, joining her sister Pintongta Kunakornwong and her mother Potjaman Na Pombejra.
10:08am – Sudarat Keyuraphan, PM candidate from the Thai Sang Thai party casts her ballot in front of a bank in Ladprao Soi 10. She expressed concerns over the transparency of the vote counting and will be heading to the party’s HQ in the afternoon.
9:50am – Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat votes at a polling station in Sukhumvit Soi 39. He told the media that he hopes the entire country will respect the election results and the will of the people.
In what could raise questions about neutrality and professionalism of polling station workers, it was also reported that some of those manning the place where Pita cast his vote asked him for a selfie.
“The law doesn’t go so far as prohibiting seeking a photo with a celebrity, but if a poll official does that, a lot of questions can be asked. The best way is to avoid doing that,” said Sawang Boonmee, the secretary-general of the Election Commission.
9.05am – Incumbent Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha arrives at a polling station in Pradipat Soi 10. Dressed in blue shirt, Prayut was seen smiling and greeting voters and the media.
After casting his ballot, Prayut said he would like to invite every eligible voter across the country to exercise rights on their path to democracy. He expects a high voter turnout, so that the election results will represent the intention of the Thai people.
8:05am – Prawit Wongsuwan, Palang Pracharath prime ministerial candidate, casts his vote in Bangkok’s Wang Thonglang constituency.
8am – Srettha Thavisin, one of Pheu Thai’s prime ministerial candidates, cast his vote in Bangkok’s Khlong Toei constituency.
