BANGKOK, 19 January 2014 Election Commission ofThailand representatives will today visit the Kurusapa Publishing House after it was broken in over the weekend by anti-government protesters to destroy the election ballots. The protesters also chained the building’s entry doors shut to prevent officials from working on the ballot printing.
Mr. Puchong Nutrawong, the Secretary-General of the Election Commission of Thailand, said that pending the EC’s inspection, Kurusapa Publishing House personnel as well as EC staff have been instructed to cease the printing of ballots and stay away from the building.
He revealed that the People’s Democratic Reform Committee protesters have cut utility supplies to the publishing house, and also locked its doors in order to prevent Election Commission personnel from entering to inspect the damage. Mr. Puchong said that an inspection of the site will be conducted on January 20, the result of which will be reported to the Election Commissioners.
The EC Secretary-General said that the ballots destroyed by the PDRC are those meant to be used in the February 2 election. He said that the printing of new ballots will be conducted in accordance with the set procedures, adding that early voting ballots have already been distributed to all provinces.
