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Bangkok Post
Bangkok Post
National

EC to send out ballot papers

Security officers stand guard at a Thailand Post warehouse where ballots are being readied for nationwide distribution on Monday. (Photo: Varuth Hirunyatheb)

The Election Commission (EC) is working with three agencies to distribute ballot papers to all 400 constituencies, ahead of advance voting on May 7 and general voting on May 14.

The EC, along with the Department of Consular Affairs, Thailand Post and Royal Thai Police (RTP), released the first convoy of vehicles carrying ballot papers to the provinces from Thailand Post's head office in Bangkok's Laksi district on Monday.

At the event, EC secretary-general Sawaeng Boonmee said the EC was ready to hold the advance voting.

Thailand Post is in charge of delivering the ballot papers to 400 constituencies nationwide as well as to 66 countries where registered overseas voters live.

The company will also be sending letters to 18.49 million addresses nationwide to inform adults in each household of their eligibility to vote.

In addition to ballot papers for the advance voting and the general election, the company will also be transporting necessary election equipment to the constituencies.

Mr Sawaeng added voters who have registered for advance voting, which will take place from 8am to 5pm on May 7, can check their status using the Smart Vote application. Once registered for advance voting, voters cannot change their minds and opt to vote on Election Day.

In total, 2,235,830 voters have registered to cast advance votes. Of them, 2,216,951 will be voting outside their household constituencies and the rest in their home constituencies.

For advance voting, the EC has set up 447 polling stations for people to vote outside their household constituencies and another 442 stations for those in their household constituencies.

Advance voting ballots cast will be put in storage in the voters' respective household constituencies for counting on May 14.

Thai embassies and consular offices have also been sent bags for mailing back cast ballots back to Thailand.

Deputy national police chief Roy Ingkapairoj, who directs the RTP's election centre, said ballot paper delivery is taking place from May 1-4.

The delivery proceeds despite Labour Day on Monday and the May 4 Coronation Day public holidays.

Pol Gen Roy said various police units will accompany the ballot delivery convoys. The highway police will provide motorcades while border patrol police will sit in the vehicles in the convoy.

When the convoy reaches its intended destination, local police will take over the security escort.

Altogether 1,356 police officers have been recruited, and 639 police vehicles will be used to deliver the ballot papers, he added.

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