Tribal voters ill-informed of polling process

Today's General News - Wednesday December 12, 2007

RACE TO PARLIAMENT

Tribal voters ill-informed of polling process

SUBIN KHEUNKAEW

Many tribal voters in the North are still in the dark about how to cast their ballots as the Dec 23 election draws near. No officials have been sent to explain to tribal voters living in Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai provinces how to vote.

Worse still, many voters lack information on candidates standing in their constituencies. Not a single candidate has showed up to campaign in tribal communities.

Several northern provinces have yet to receive lists of eligible voters as election authorities are awaiting exact voter numbers from a new round of surveys. Lists of voters were scheduled to be sent to provincial authorities before today.

Veera Yeephrae, director of the Mae Hong Son election office, expressed concern that the number of invalid ballots would be high this time round as many local residents, particularly tribal voters, were confused by the new voting method.

The provincial election panel had allocated budgets to all districts to provide information to tribal voters on how to cast their ballots, he said. In Mae Hong Son, there are eight tribal groups.

The election panel used a radio station to broadcast campaigns to encourage eligible voters to exercise their democratic rights and explain how to cast their ballots, said Mr Veera. However, he admitted no agencies had sent their officials to explain to tribespeople how to vote.

Kasem Loyfapayom, 35, a Muser tribesman living in Naluang village of Pang Ma Pha district in Mae Hong Son, said so far no officials have been sent to tell tribal residents how to vote.

''Most local residents still do not know how to cast their ballots, let alone elderly voters. In the previous election, samples of ballots were posted at the house of the village head. This made us understand things easily. This time, no information about vote-casting has been given to us,'' said Mr Kasem.

Laota Saenlee, 70, a former drug suspect who was acquitted of charges this month, said he and other tribal voters did not understand the new voting method and wanted authorities to explain it. Mr Laota commands respects from many tribal residents.

Bunma Kheunkham, an official at the Social Development Centre in Chiang Rai's Mae Fa Luang district, said the centre had received many queries from tribal villagers about the new voting method as they were confused.

The centre had instructed its staff to explain to locals, she said.

Bangkok Post