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Published on December 24, 2007

In Nakhon Phanom, centenarian Ngon Noiwong arrived at a polling station in Muang district to vote, something she has done at every election held during her lifetime.

In another Northeast province, Si Sa Ket, Chalermrat Rattanapakdi went to vote in his wheelchair. Born without arms and legs, the 28-year-old said physical disability could not cripple his heart or mind.

"I will never sell my vote," Chalermrat said, after he marked his ballot using a pen he held in his mouth. His parents accompanied him.

Amputee Boonpeng Phiewngarm, with the aid of a walking stick, turned up at his Si Sa Ket station. He lost his right leg in an accident several years ago.

"Amputation and sweltering heat cannot discourage me from exercising my rights," the 65-year-old man said, "I want to shape the country's future".

In Khon Kaen, voters from a leper community were enthusiastic about voting.

"I am glad we can vote like any other," Boonmee Kotunan, 77, said.

There were many reports of irregularities throughout the Northeast, where voting was busy. Wittaya Kullana, coordination committee director for the Constitution for Democracy Association in Nakhon Phanom, said leaflets encouraging people to vote for the People Power Party were circulated in Si Songkhram, Renu Nakhon and Na Kae districts.

"The leaflets say voters can then receive Bt1,000 from the party's candidates in their respective constituencies," he said.

He said the association had 511 members watching polling stations for possible electoral fraud.

In Chaiyaphum, three senior citizens in Kaset Sombun district complained that their names had been "suspiciously removed" from the list of eligible voters.

"An assistant to my village head asked me to sign something before this," Plaeng Kuanoon, 77, said.

Sida Kamlangyong, 77, and her 78-year-old husband, Pan, were exasperated to be denied a vote. "My village head told me I was old and might be unable to cast a vote correctly. Then, he asked me to sign something, which I did. However, I didn't know that meant I gave up my voting rights," Pan said.

Kaset Sombun district chief, Taweepon Panyawettananon, said he would investigate the complaints.

"Village heads or kamnan have no right to do this," Taweepon said.

In the central province of Phetchabun, Kiang Sukharaj came to a polling station in a wheelchair. Accompanied by his 65-year-old niece, Kiang said he was still healthy enough to cast ballots.

In Lom Kao district, Liam Kaewjam was blind but could vote by using special ballots.

In Khao Kho district, local people in Tambon Khao Kor were panicked when hearing what seemed like shots at the time the ballot was about to close.

Police rushed to the scene and found the sound had come from the disposal of ammunition.