Today's turnout from those in the 18-to-25 age bracket should be higher than it was in last year's election, said Ramajitti Institute director Amornwich Nakornthap, who has just completed a study of young voters.

"Rallies in the past few months have stimulated their political interest and raised their social awareness," Amornwich said.

"I'm pretty sure more young people will go to the polls, but it's hard to predict how they will vote."

The overall turnout in last year's vote was 73 per cent. There is no official breakdown of voters according to age brackets. Of the 44 million people eligible to vote in today's election about eight million, or 18 per cent, are under 26.

"The young are a powerful force in society. Three-quarters are concerned about public issues, but only one-quarter will express their concerns publicly," Amornwich said.

His study, for the Ministry of Culture and Thailand Research Fund, examined behavioural trends among young voters nationwide.

Political tension has drawn more young people to rallies and will be the major reason more young people will vote today, he said.

He said it was unlikely that students would form a mass movement similar to those in the past because their interests had become increasingly diverse.

The crisis has made young people more interested in politics, and they are speaking out via text messages and Web boards, Amornwich said.

Attachak Satayanurak, an academic at Chiang Mai University, said there was no necessary link between rising awareness and understanding.

"Political awareness among those in this age group has risen significantly, but I'm not sure there is also an improvement in terms of understanding since only 30 per cent of those surveyed said they would vote according to their consciences," Attachak said.

"The majority appear to have no specific aim; they'll just vote for the sake of voting. For the young, political stance is dependent on what information they receive. Most spend their time on other matters like sex and materialism," Attachak said.

Chaiyan Chaiyaphorn, a Chiang Mai University lecturer, also expected a higher turnout among young voters today.

He said his students had become more interested in politics and voting.

Chaiyan said the concerns of young voters in Greater Bangkok would differ from those of their peers in the rest of the country.

"Young voters in Bangkok may be more sensitive to charges of corruption than those in rural areas where corruption is seen as a less serious issue," he said.

Many provincial students have become more aware of corruption, he added.

He also said that most young voters would tick the same boxes their parents did.

Nattaphol Wiangnak, a student at Ramkhamhaeng University, said he would travel to his home town in Phrae to vote.

University student Surat Khongpin said he could not afford to travel from Bangkok to his home in Phetchabun to vote.

Twenty-year-old Attawit Nakhaket said he might not vote because he saw the poll as pointless. The Bangkok resident said he had voted twice before.

Kamol Sukin

The Nation