The Election Commission (EC) set the general election date for Thai people to go to polls on May 14, 2023.
EC secretary-general Sawaeng Boonmee said registration for constituency candidates will be open from April 3-7 at specific venues. Registration for party-list candidates and prime ministerial candidates will be from April 4 to 7 at the Bangkok City Hall in Din Daeng district.
Eligible voters can register for advance voting from March 27 – April 13. The early voting is set for May 7 and the election day on May 14.
Deputy leader of the ruling Palang Pracharat Party Wirat Ratanaset said that his party is ready for the race. The party will launch key election campaigns in many provinces, starting from March 25. The party’s leader Gen. Prawit Wongsuwon is the prime minister candidate. The party executives will meet again to approve the nomination.
Meanwhile, the main opposition Pheu Thai Party plans election campaigns on the stage from March 22-26 in five provinces – Nonthaburi, Ayutthaya, Bangkok, Saraburi and Nakhon Pathom.
Paetongtarn Shinawatra, head of the “Pheu Thai Family” who is now pregnant said she would still participate in the party’s election campaign in short-distance areas about 1-2 hour drive. For long-distance areas, she will join via video calls or clips to make her communication reach people in as many areas as possible. She will address the crowd on the stage for the last major campaign before the election as it is the most important event.
Regarding the reports on the vote counting, the Association of Digital Television Broadcasting and its network are ready for the coverage. The crowdfunding platform will be used to raise 12 –million-baht fund to recruit 100,000 volunteers to report real-time election results from about 95,000 polling units nationwide. It is expected estimated figures of party-list MPs of each party will be known by 7 pm, the leading candidates of all 400 constituencies and unofficial results by 9 pm. (TNA)
