Bangkok polling stations have completed their recount of votes cast in Thailand’s May 14 general election and at each station, the result remains unchanged. The Election Commission ordered a recount at 47 polling stations across Thailand after it emerged that the total number of votes didn’t match voter turnout numbers at those locations.
Of the 47 stations, 6 are in Bangkok and, according to a Nation Thailand report, recounting is now complete at those stations. The recounts were attended by polling station committees, as well as the media and public observers, to ensure there was no underhand behaviour.
At one polling station, it was found that 2 ballot papers had previously gone uncounted. Once they were included, the number of votes cast matched voter turnout at that station. The two missing votes were for the United Thai Nation Party and the Move Forward Party and the overall result remains unaffected.
Krongkran Jeamjeerakul, director of Wang Thonglang district office, says it’s not clear why the two ballot papers were overlooked.
At another polling station, 37 missing votes were located, which also had no effect on the overall result. The director of Pom Prap Sattru Phai district office, Pongjakarin Thawornphong, says he thinks the error was the result of the polling station’s committee repeating votes while counting.
Meanwhile, the recounts continue at other polling stations around the country, with results expected before the end of the month.
SOURCE: Nation Thailand
