BANGKOK, 26 January 2014 Voters were prevented to cast their votes at most polling stations in the southern provinces during the advance election on Sunday, while only 13 polling stations in Bangkok were not surrounded by anti-government protesters.
According to Deputy Secretary-General of the Election Commission (EC) Thanit Sriprathet, 34 polling stations in Bangkok were shut down by the protesters but the EC could open the other 13 for vote casting, which included those in Pharnakhon, Pathumwan, Ratchathewi, Bang Rak and Sathorn districts.
Meanwhile, the polling stations in all 15 southern provinces were occupied by the protesters, prompting the EC to cancel advance elections in 11 provinces. Only voters in the provinces of Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat and Satun were able to exercise their voting rights at the polling stations.
The advance voting in most provinces in the northern, eastern, northeastern and central regions, however, were not cancelled despite the protests, the official said.
