Election confrontation begins (updated regularly)

The Election Commission (EC) yesterday said the candidacy registration process would begin today as scheduled while anti-government protest leaders have vowed to block it. We'll be watching throughout the day.

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16:30

Initially protesters insisted there were four gunshots fired from the back of the Din Daeng police station, but not it appears they were fireworks.

Here is an update on from our online reporters.

Anti-government protesters urged police to arrest two men in black who threw firecrackers at Din Daeng police station during the protest outside the premises by the People's Democratic Reform Committe (PDRC) on Monday morning.

They said the two men, caught in the act by security cameras, were trying to cause trouble.

Police asked one of the PDRC’s leaders, Phutthipong Punnakan, to join them in checking footage from CCTV security cameras installed in the parking lot of a hotel next door to the station.

The cameras captured images of two men throwing firecrackers at the station.

The protesters urged the police to arrest the men, saying they were trying to create problems.  

According to TV reports, the station was still surrounded early this afternoon, with people inside – both police and visitors – unable to leave.

Electricity and the water supply had also been cut off, according to the reports. Police had to negotiate with protesters in order to allow food to be delivered to the station.

The protesters later announced they would allow female Election Commission staff to leave the police station.  The rest would be able to leave after 4.30pm.

13:15

The drawing of ballot numbers used by political parties in their campaigns has been postponed indefinitely due to the ongoing seige of the Thai-Japanese sports stadium.

The Election Commission has not yet fixed the date and time for the drawing of ballot numbers by political parties which showed up Monday morning to register their candidates in the party-list.

Election commissioner Somchai Srisuthiyakorn said a total of 34 parties showed up on the first day of party-list registration, which remains open until Friday.

Of the 34 parties, only nine managed to submit their applications inside the Thai-Japanese sports complex at Din Daeng. 
Other parties were not able to get inside the premises because of the protest outside.

He said 24 parties had filed complaints with Din Daeng police station and another with the Crime Suppression Division.

Meanwhile, there are reports a group has entered the DSI building to protest against the freezing of assets of numerous protest leaders.

A number of People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) protesters entered the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) about 12.30pm and asked officials to leave the office, reports said.

Nitithorn Lamlua, a protest leader and core member of the Network of Students and People for Thailand's Reform (NSPTR), told DSI officials that he only wanted to see documents used by the DSI to accuse him and other PDRC leaders, a total of 38 people, of insurrection and in ordering the freezing of their bank accounts.

Media representatives have met with rally leader Suthep Thuagsuban and People's Democratic Reform Committee spokesman Akanat Phromphan over several incidents where TV reporters were hassled by demonstrators and prevented from carrying out their work.

PDRC leaders have promised to help prevent such incidents in the future. This noon, however, a Thai PBS reporter outside the Thai-Japanese sports complex had to give her report in front of a noisy group of whistle blowers.

11:35

Tension has increased at the Din Daeng police station after three or four gunshots were heard, coming from behind the police station, apparently from a hotel parking lot. Protest leaders are demanding police take action, complaining only two officers were sent to investigate. Police have invited leaders into the station were negotiations are going on. This happened just as rally leaders were explaining to the crowd that they were about to go back to the Thai-Japanese sports station.

11:05

The siege of Din Daeng police station continues with many of the political party members who went to file complaints there still trapped inside. A short while ago, four protest leaders entered the station where they vehemently denied that protesters had prevented political party members from entering the Thai-Japanese sports stadium. They said Pheu Thai had registered at 4am and their members have not filed a complaint. Apart from that, there has been no attempt by the protesters to enter the building.

Morning update

Anti-government protesters have surrounded both the Thai-Japanese sports stadium in Din Daeng and the local police station where complaints are being filed by party representatives unable to enter the stadium. However, many parties have been able to submit their documents by arriving as early as 3am before the protesters had the numbers to close the venue (Now, it appears that many might have gone in much earlier, sleeping there until registration began in the early morning hours). Both Phue Thai and Chat Thai Pattana have registered a complete set of party-list candidates, 125 each.

Caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is the No 1 party-list MP candidate of the Pheu Thai Party, according to a document filed with the Election Commission (EC)

Former prime minister Somchai Wongsawat, who is Ms Yingluck's brother-in-law, is the No 2 party-list candidate.

They are followed are caretaker Interior Minister Charupong Ruangsuwan, caretaker Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul, caretaker Justice Minister Chaikasem Nitisiri and caretaker Labour Minister Chalerm Yubamrung.

EC says poll sign-up will go ahead

Showdown set as Suthep vows to block venue

POST REPORTERS

The Election Commission (EC) yesterday expressed confidence that no setbacks would hinder election candidacy registration opening today.

But anti-government protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban last night said protesters will block the venue to prevent election candidates from registering.

He urged protesters to march last night from Democracy Monument, the main venue of the anti-government demonstrations, to the Thai-Japanese sports stadium in Din Daeng, the election candidacy registration venue, and to stay overnight and throughout today.

After a two-hour meeting, EC commissioner Somchai Srisutthiyakorn said registration schedules remained unchanged and there would be no change of registration venue.

The People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC)'s protesters yesterday organised a warm-up mass march to practise attempts to block the election candidate registration.

The PDRC claimed about 3.5 million people joined its five main rally sites yesterday, while a security unit put the number at 270,000. The estimates from both sides were larger than those for the mass protest on Dec 9.

Mr Suthep announced last night at the Democracy Monument: "Whoever wants to enter the venue to register will have to sneak through our feet to get inside.

"No matter where the venue moves, we will [block it] everywhere," he said.

If the election takes place on Feb 2 as scheduled, "millions of protesters will come out and close the city for the whole day, and close all provinces nationwide".

Mr Somchai expressed confidence the "system" which the agency had set up was good enough to keep the candidacy registration secure from attempts to disrupt it.

"We have measures in place to make sure the registration will proceed smoothly. There is no alternative venue. There is no change of date," he said.

An EC source said the commission is likely to advise potential election candidates to file a complaint with police if they are unable to register.

The EC will later check with police which parties were unable to apply to contest the polls.

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