Thailand's early voters' turnout reaches 75 pct: Election Commission

BANGKOK, March 17 (Xinhua) -- An average of 75 percent voter turnout was reported in Sunday's early voting for the general election in Thailand, a senior official of the election commission said.

Of a total of 2.63 million Thais who had registered as early voters, over 75 percent reportedly cast their ballots on Sunday, confirmed election commission Deputy Secretary General Nat Laosisavakul.

early voters cast their ballots without any violent disturbance reported, said National Police commissioner General Pol. Gen. Chakthip Chaijinda.

The police chief, who also cast his early vote in Sai Mai district of Bangkok, confirmed that Sunday's early voting was held in normal atmosphere though traffic congestion may have unusually prevailed in the neighborhood of some polling units.

Bangkok's constituency with the largest number of registered early voters was in Bang Kapi district where up to 82 percent of those early voters would go to the polls, Nat said.

Among early voters in Dusit district of Bangkok, 98-year-old former prime minister Prem Tinsulanonda showed up in a wheelchair and used an oxygen tube while casting his ballot.

In Chiang Mai's Constituency One, up to 95 percent of some 47,000 registered early voters cast their ballots on Sunday.

According to the deputy election commission secretary general, those who have registered as early voters but have failed to cast their early votes on Sunday are not allowed by law to do so on the election day of March 24.

About 2.63 million eligible voters had registered as early voters in Thailand and overseas in order to cast their ballots on Sunday. Of that total, an estimated 928,000 Bangkokians had registered as early voters.

There are some 51.4 million eligible voters, about 7.3 millions of whom being first-time voters. Most are expected to go to the polls on March 24.

The polling agency has anticipated no less than an 80 percent voter turnout next Sunday.