Bangkok may see a turnout of more than 70 per cent

Bangkok may see a turnout of more than 70 per cent
The Sunday's voter turnout for Bangkok might be higher than 70 per cent because of the enthusiam shown in the advance voting over the last weekend, city clerk Pongsakti Semsan said on Monday.


In past elections, the turnout of Bangkok voters hovered around 60 per cent.

"The enthusiam for advance balloting might lead to a higher turnout than has been anticipated," Ponsakti said.

For advance voting, 201,683 Bangkok residents, accounting for 4.91 per cent of 4.1 million eligible voters, cast their ballots last Saturday and Sunday.

Phaya Thai district ranked first with the turnout of 9.11 per cent, followed by Saphan Sung (7.08 per cent), Lat Phrao (6.81 per cent), Wang Thonglang (6.71 per cent) and Thawi Watthana (6.42 per cent).

For absentee voting, Bangkok saw a recorded turnout of 91.09 per cent, the highest number since the introduction of absentee votes in 1997. Of 903,889 eligible voters, 823,332 cast their absentee ballots.

Top five polling stations for absentee voters are Bang Phlat (96.39 per cent), Samphanthawong (95.59 per cent), Thon Buri (95.23 per cent), Dusit (94.66 per cent) and Phra Nakhon (94.18 per cent).

The bottom five are Lat Krabang (86.82 per cent), Bueng Kum (86.85 per cent), Phra Khanong (87.59 per cent), Bang Khun Thian (87.59 per cent) and Bang Bon (88.03 per cent).

The Consular Department said the turnout of Thai expats for balloting overseas was 76.38 per cent, almost double the votes cast in past elections which saw no more than 40 per cent turnout.

Of 90 polling stations abroad, 72 completed the balloting process and dispatched ballot boxes back for counting in respective constituencies.

Thai expats in Los Angeles, Frankfurt, Dubai and Taiwan ranked among the top five to cast votes.

The Nation