Two little girls destroyed voter lists while playing, police probe finds
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The destruction of eligible-voter lists in Khanu Woralaksaburi district, Kamphaeng Phet province, was caused by two eight-year-old girls who did not understand the importance of the documents they were playing with, police said Tuesday.
Pol Maj-General Damrong Petpong, chief of Kamphaeng Phet provincial police, said the voter lists were destroyed on Saturday during a monk-ordination ceremony at Hong Thong temple, which is near Wachirasarnsuksa School, where the polling station for the upcoming charter referendum is located. A number of people were seen at the polling station, including some intoxicated adults, but also children.
The police investigation into the incident found that the two girls, who lived not far away, normally came to the school every day to play with other children. On Saturday the pair of eight-year-olds and other children came to play near the board on which the voter lists were attached. The two girls tore the lists from the board without knowing they were state assets.
Police say they questioned the two girls and their parents in a relaxed manner. The girls were released without being charged for the destruction of state property.
Damrong said the children were young and had no intention to commit a crime. He would forward evidence including footage from surveillance cameras to his superiors.
Reports of the destruction of voter lists have prompted the Interior Ministry to give the green light to local administrators and provincial order-maintenance centres nationwide to intensify monitoring to ensure peaceful situations and to apply tough legal measures against provocateurs, while reporting such incidents to the ministry.
The officials have also been instructed to watch for the dissemination of false information regarding next month’s referendum and the constitution draft.
