Election day: It looks like Pheu Thai
All the major exit polls are showing Pheu Thai with well over the 250 seats necessary to form the next government. We'll have updates here throughout the day and evening.
All the major exit polls are showing Pheu Thai with well over the 250 seats necessary to form the next government. We'll have updates here throughout the day and evening.
If you have been following our election coverage, it should be easy for you to read today's general election in English. If not, check out Election basics http://bit.ly/jxSPGW for much of the election-related vocabulary you are likely to see today. And, of course, you can learn the vocabulary from our stories which will be updated throughout the day.
16:00
Vote counting begins.
Exit polls show a Pheu Thai landslide
All the major exit polls are showing Phue Thai with well over the 250 seats necessary to form the next government. The only big difference is in the number of seats for Bhumjaithai.
An exit poll conducted by Suan Dusit Poll revealed that the Pheu Thai Party was the clear winner in the July 3 election, easily beating the Democrat Party
The result of the exit poll was revealed immediately after 3pm when the official voting time ended.
The poll was conducted by Suan Dusit pollsters in all 375 constituencies nationwide, collecting a total of 157,759 samples between 8am and 2pm.
In the constituency system, the Pheu Thai Party clinched 247 MPs, followed by Democrats with 107 MPs, Bhumjaithai 9, Chartthaipattana 8, and Palang Chon 4.
In the party list system, the Pheu Thai Party came first with 66 MPs, followed by Democrats with 45 MPs, Bhumjaithai 4, Rak Prathetthai 3, Chartthaipattana 2, Chart Pattana Puea Pandin 2, Palang Chon 1, Rak Santi 1, and Matubhum 1.
In total, the Pheu Thai Party clinched altogether 313 House seats, Democrats 152, Bhumjaithai 13, Chartthaipattana 10, Palang Chon 5, Rak Prathetthai 3, Chart Pattana Puea Pandin 2, Rak Santi 1, and Matubhum 1.
Interestingly, the ABAC poll had both Phue Thai and the Democrats winning fewer seats and the the smaller parties more. Bhumjaithai will be hoping the ABAC poll is right because it would then obtain 28 seats, more than double that of the Dusit poll
The ABAC poll gives the opposition Pheu Thai Party 299 House seats -- 65 list MP seats and 234 constituency MP seats, while the ruling Democrat Party got 40 list MPs and 92 constituency MPs.
Both polls gave hope to Rat Prathet Thai leader Chuwit Kamolwiset giving at least 3 party-list seats.
exit poll – a poll taken at or near polling stations questioning voters about how they voted — การสำรวจความคิดเห็นจากประชาชนที่เพิ่งลงคะแนนเสร็จสดๆ ร้อนๆ
reveal – to let something become known เปิดเผย
immediately – happening right after something else with no delay; right away ทันที
constituency – a district that elects its own representative to parliament เขตเลือกตั้ง
sample – a group of people who are used for getting information about a larger group or about the whole population — กลุ่มตัวอย่าง
party list (proportional representation system) – a system that gives each party in an election a number of seats in relation to the number of votes its candidates receive ระบบสัดส่วน, ระบบปาร์ตี้ลิสต์
clinch – to win a victory
double – to become twice as big, twice as much or twice as many เพิ่มเป็นสองเท่า
the opposition - the elected politicians who belong to the largest party which does not form the government พรรคฝ่ายค้าน
13:00
Pheu Thai's top party list candidate Yingluck Shinawatra (Photo by Pattanapong Hirunard)
Click button to listen to Election2 and rightclick to download
Most big names vote in the morning
Just about all of the party leaders, military leaders and other people with power and influence voted this morning, with the exception of the People's Alliance of Democracy's Chamlong Srimuang.
Maj Gen Chamlong went to a polling station in Bangkok's Dusit district this morning but his name was not on the current voter list. He later found out his name remained on the voting list in Kanchanaburi province, where he voted last time.
Top list candidate of the Pheu Thai Party Yingluck Shinawatra voted early, arriving at a polling station inside Wat Klong Lamchiang school in Bangkok’s Nawamin sub-district just after the 8am opening.
Ms Yingluck told reporters waiting outside at the polling station that she planned to eat with her family and then go to the party’s headquarters to follow the election results with other party members.
The youngest sister of fugitive former prime minister Thaksin urged voters to turn out and choose good people to work for them in the parliament.
Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva kept reporters waiting as he arrived just after 10am to cast his vote at polling unit No.4 at Sawasdee Witthaya School in Sukhumvit Soi 31 in Watthana district.
He was accompanied by his wife Pimpen and daughter Prang.
Speaking to a large number of reporters, the caretaker prime minister called on the people throughout the country to leave their homes to vote, saying this election is very important to the country's future.
Love Thailand Party leader Chuwit Kamolvisit said he had personally spent 10 million baht on his campaign after casting his vote at the No.84 poll station on Ratchadapisek road.
National army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha voted at a polling station in Bangkok's Phayathai district on Sunday morning, and later urged all eligible Thais to exercise their voting rights under the democratic system.
"The overall situation in the country is not worrying," Gen Prayuth said.
Adapted from breaking news stories on bangkokpost.com
(party) list (proportional representation system) – a system that gives each party in an election a number of seats in relation to the number of votes its candidates receive ระบบสัดส่วน, ระบบปาร์ตี้ลิสต์
candidate – a person who is trying to be elected ผู้สมัครรับเลือกตั้ง
influence – the power to have an effect on people or things อิทธิพล
with the exception – of something that is different in some way from other things and so cannot be included in a general statement ยกเว้น
People’s Alliance for Democracy – the union of several groups protesting against the past government and which staged large protests against the Thaksin government as well พันธมิตรประชาชนเพื่อประชาธิปไตย
polling station – the place where people vote in an election หน่วยเลือกตั้ง
current – of the present time ปัจจุบัน
headquarters – the place where an organisation or company has its main offices สำนักงานใหญ่ กองบัญชาการ
fugitive – someone who has done something illegal and is trying to avoid being caught by the police ผู้หลบหนี
urge – to advise someone very strongly about what action or attitude they should take ผลักดัน, กระตุ้น
turn out – to vote in an election ออกมาลงคะแนน
cast a vote – to vote, i.e., to put a marked ballot in a ballot box ลงคะแนน, หย่อนบัตรเลือกตั้ง, ออกเสียงเลือกตั้ง
accompany – to go with someone ไปกับ,ไปด้วยกัน,ไปเป็นเพื่อน
caretaker – in charge for a short time, until a new leader or government is chosen รักษาการ
campaign – a planned series of activities designed to persuade voters to vote for a particular candidate or political party การรณรงค์หาสียง
eligible – allowed by rules or laws to do something or to receive something มีสิทธิ
exercise – to use your power or rights ใช้อำนาจ
Turnout for today's general election is expected to be high as large numbers of voters yesterday left Bangkok to return to the home districts to vote. Here passengers are crammed into a train packed with people travelling to their hometowns to cast their votes. PATIPAT JANTHONG
8:50 am
Click button to listen to Election1 and rightclick to download
Election day begins
The campaign is over, the polling stations are now open and millions of Thais are beginning to vote around the country. Turnout is expected to be high.
More than 180,000 police officers have been deployed at 90,800 polling stations nationwide to ensure the vote goes smoothly and peacefully.
Candidates Saturday concluded their campaigns, while canvassing activities on social networks ceased, as online political messages are banned after 6pm the day before an election.
Police stepped up efforts to crack down on vote-buying Saturday and arrested three people in Samut Prakan and Maha Sarakham provinces suspected of involvement in the practice.
Pol Gen Wichean Potephosree, the national police chief and the chief of the election peacekeeping centre, said the centre had assigned 183,129 police officers to enforce the election law.
EC secretary-general Suthiphon Taveechaiyagarn said the commission is working with three other agencies – the Royal Thai Police, the Television Pool of Thailand, and the Electronic Government Agency – in the ballot-counting and reporting of the poll results.
The EC should know and be able to announce the unofficial results of the election by 10pm Sunday, seven hours after the polls close, he said.
Adapted from a story in today's Bangkok Post.
turnout – the number or percentage of eligible voters who vote in an election จำนวนผู้ออกมาลงคะแนน
crammed – completely filled with people or things คับคั่ง
cast a vote – to vote, i.e., to put a marked ballot in a ballot box ลงคะแนน, หย่อนบัตรเลือกตั้ง, ออกเสียงเลือกตั้ง
campaign – a planned series of activities designed to persuade voters to vote for a particular candidate or political party การรณรงค์หาสียง
polling station – the place where people vote in an election หน่วยเลือกตั้ง
deploy – (of police or soldiers) to put in place ready for action ส่ง (ทหารตำรวจ) ประจำการ
nationwide – throughout a whole country ทั่วทั้งประเทศ
ensure – to make certain that something happens or is done ให้การยืนยัน, รับรอง, ให้ความมั่นใจ
candidate – a person who is trying to be elected ผู้สมัครรับเลือกตั้ง
canvass – to try to get support for a candidate or political party in a particular area หาเสียง เรียกคะแนนให้
cease – to stop จบ, ยุติ
banned – officially not allowed to do something ถูกห้ามอย่างเป็นทางการ
step up – to increase เพิ่ม
crackdown – strong action that someone in authority takes to stop a particular activity การใช้กำลังเข้าปราบปรามของเจ้าหน้าที่
arrest – (of the police) to take someone to a police station because they are believed to have committed a crime จับกุม
suspect – to believe that something is true, especially something bad สงสัย
involvement – the act or process of taking part in something การเกี่ยวข้อง
practice – a way of doing something การปฏิบัติ
enforce – to make sure laws are obeyed บังคับให้ใช้, บังคับให้ทำ, ใช้กำลังบังคับให้ปฏิบัติตาม
Election Commission (EC) – the independent government agency that oversees elections คณะกรรมการเลือกตั้ง
ballot – the piece of paper on which someone marks who they are voting for บัตรเลือกตั้ง