17 candidates fail to show up for Bangkok provincial Senate election

Asked whether the 17 absent candidates could file complaints, Wanthanee said: “It is believed that those who did not report are aware of their reasons for not attending. They have the right to file complaints, but everything will proceed according to the regulations.”

After the reporting, the election committee briefed each group on the system. The next step will be the first round of selection, where each candidate will choose two people. This process will reduce the number of candidates in each group to a maximum of five, who will then vote among themselves.

However, there were some minor issues in the morning when candidates started arriving from 8am. 

“Some observers arrived without prior notification, and officials had to explain the proper procedures. The committee's actions were consistent with the Election Commission's guidelines and rehearsed protocols,” the top BMA bureaucrat said.

In Bangkok, the elections are being held at the Vayupak Convention Center, Centara Hotel, Government Complex, on the third and fourth floors, which will host the initial round of voting for 20 groups of candidates, followed by the second round on the fourth floor, where the candidates will be divided into groups.

Meanwhile, Ittiporn Boonprakong, chairman of the Election Commission, inspected and observed the provincial Senate election in Mueang district of Ratchaburi province. He was accompanied by Ratchaburi Governor Kiattisak Thongsiri, as well as relevant government officials and personnel.

The overall atmosphere since the morning was orderly, adhering to the established practices that the EC's office had communicated and rehearsed, ensuring all committee members and candidates followed the rules and regulations strictly.

The eligible candidates for this election are those who passed the district-level election held last week. The winners of this election will advance to the national-level election, which is the final round.