Thailand: EC seeks delay in final results amid ongoing probes

  • The Election Commission (EC) said on 27 Mar 19 that the results after counting the remaining 5% of votes could not be announced due to complaints of irregularities in some constituencies even as political parties and activists piled pressure on the agency to announce the final tally to endorse the winners.
  • The EC would take time to investigate all the 146 complaints but would complete it before the official deadline for the announcement of election results on 9 May 19, secretary-general Jarungwit Phumma said.
  • He said the commission will examine votes for all candidates and announce the results and other information about the polling to the public on 29 Mar 19.
  • Pheu Thai, Future Forward, Seri Ruam Thai, Prachachart, Puea Chat and Phalang Puangchon Thai had signed in a petition addressed to the EC, urging the agency to disclose the complete vote tally immediately and also count the 1,542 delayed ballots from New Zealand while the Democrat Party also called on the EC to respect the rights of Thai voters in New Zealand.
  • Pheu Thai spokesperson Ladawan Wongsriwong said the public expected to know the final results of the voting two days after the election.
  • Meanwhile, Future Forward spokesperson Pannika Wanich said the commission’s performance did not deserve the THB5.8bn budget allocated to them from taxpayers’ money as they were inefficient in their handling of the election.

External Link: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30366676

28-Mar-2019