Election problems seen in Bangkok, southern provinces

BANGKOK, February 1 (TNA) - As preparations for Sunday’s general election are in full speed, Election Commission (EC) Secretary-General Puchong Nutrawong has admitted that problems are still visible in Bangkok and southern Thai provinces. Puchong told reporters on Saturday that preparations in the Thai Northeast, North and the central region have been almost completed, but problems remain in the capital, citing, as an example, that ballot boxes at Lak Si district office could not be taken out of the office, as anti-government protesters of People’s Democratic Reform Committee or PDRC have laid siege. Surprisingly, Puchong said, ballot boxes could be dispatched to the three violence-plagued southernmost provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat, but ballots for candidates running under the party-list system which are kept at southern post offices in Chumphon Province, Hat Yai of Songkhla Province and Thung Song of Nakhon Si Thammarat still could not be taken out because protesters have blocked access to the sites. Ninnart Chalitanont, Permanent Secretary for Bangkok Metropolitan Administration or BMA announced, meanwhile, that the BMA is now well prepared to handle Sunday's general election in the capital although she is still worried over transportation of ballot boxes which could be obstructed by PDRC protesters and on possible confrontation between those who favour and those who are against the national poll. (TNA)