Int'l poll watch happy with advance voting

Suthipol Thaweechaikarn said he had met with IFES representatives who told him the advance voting was held efficiently although there were allegations about votebuying in some areas.

Suthipol said he told the IFES members that people were eager to vote due to the large turnout.

Although the political situation was uncertain with an alleged plot to postpone the election, Suthipol believed voter turnout would be large.

Meanwhile, Bangkok city clerk Pongsakti Semsan ensured yesterday (thurs) that all ballot boxes used for the advance voting in 50 districts of the capital were being kept under tight security.

He said political parties had sent their own staff to guard the rooms containing the boxes with closedcircuited cameras installed to ensure nobody would open or replace them.

The ballot boxes would be sent to their destinations and counted with other votes on December 23.