Thailand mobilizes more than 147,500 police to protect polling stations

Thailand has deployed more than 147,500 police to ensure security and order at nearly 95,000 polling stations to elect the new House of Representatives in the election taking place on May 14.

Thai Lan huy dong hon 147.500 canh sat bao ve cac diem bo phieu hinh anh 1 Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha casts his vote in the House of Representatives election at a polling station in Bangkok on May 14. (Photo: AFP/VNA)

To ensure order at nearly 95,000 polling stations nationwide in the May 14 election, National Police Chief General Damrongsak Kittiprapas said Thailand has deployed more than 147,500 police officers.

An estimated 50 million Thai voters are expected to head to polling stations to elect a new House of Representatives, following early voting a week ago with the participation of about 2.3 million voters.

At the polling station, each eligible voter will be given two ballots - a pink ballot to choose a member of the House of Representatives and a green ballot to choose their preferred party.

This year's general election will see the participation of 67 political parties. Voters will elect 500 parliamentary seats from 1,898 party-list candidates and 4,781 constituency parliamentary candidates.

The Election Commission (EC) predicts a voter turnout of around 85%. The EC affirms that this year's election will be highly competitive and is committed to ensuring transparency and honesty throughout the entire election and vote counting process.

Preliminary results may be updated later in the day but official results will take longer.

The new House of Representatives will then join the 250-member Senate in electing a new Prime Minister to lead the Thai government for the next four-year term.

On the morning of May 14, Thai voters began going to the polls to elect the new 500-seat House of Representatives. The voting began at 8:00 a.m. (Vietnam time) and will last until 5:00 p.m. at 95,000 polling stations nationwide.

Although nearly 70 parties are contesting the election, the race is expected to be a contest between the United Thai National Party (UTN) of incumbent Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and Pheu Thai, an offshoot of the Thai Rak Thai Party of exiled former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Thai Rak Thai no longer exists./.

Huy Tien-Do Sinh (TTXVN/Vietnam)

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