Soldiers line up to vote as polling booths open in Bangkok
Army troops formed long queues at a polling station in Lak Si district as voting began in Bangkok’s Constituency 9 by-election on Sunday morning.
Several polling stations in Thung Song Hong subdistrict were crowded before voting got underway at 8am, with a line of troops seen outside one.
Polling stations close at 5pm and the result is expected to be announced before 10pm.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has instructed the armed forces to remain politically neutral in the by-election. Earlier this month, the Democrat Party accused troops of pressuring residents to vote for a particular candidate in the Chumphon by-election.
Thung Song Hong has the highest number of eligible voters in Lak Si district. The district, which also includes Bang Khen Market, has 122 polling stations serving 83,712 eligible voters among a total population of 100,529.
Constituency 9 also covers part of Chatuchak district in the north of the city.
He noted that many voters had arrived before the stations were opened, eager to cast their vote.
Polling stations were operating strict anti-Covid-19 measures, said Itthiporn, with officials reminding voters to stay apart from each other while queuing. The polling booths had also been placed in the open air, so the chance of the virus spreading was low, he added.
