UN team observes election, EU says OK came too late.

UN team observes election which started today (24 March) from 8.00 until 17.00. EU do not join because Thai government did not invite them on time. 

UN's observers

Pokpong Lawansiri from United Nations Human Rights reported that 5 UN teams, consisting of 4 people each, monitors Thailand's election today in Bangkok, Nonthaburi, and Pathumthani. 4 teams are currently deployed and 1 team on standby at the UN.

UN's observers

There is no coverage for the Deep South. 

The team also have participants from many countries, including Myanmar, Indonesia, Timor-Leste, Maldives, Malaysia, Bhutan, Cambodia, South Korea, Vietnam, and Australia. 

However, the EU do not participate according to its press release on 22 March:

EU election observation requires a long-term, country-wide presence of an independent EOM which conducts its activities according to a comprehensive methodology in accordance with the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation. This requires an official invitation from the host country and a lead-in time of four to six months in order to prepare the mission, including the deployment of long-term observers. In the case of the Thai general elections, the EU did not receive such an invitation in the required timeframe.

Before the General Election today, early and overseas voting sees many problems. Many Thai voters living overseas faced with difficulties casting their votes from long waiting times at the poll to ballots not arriving in the mail. Early voters in Thailand also faced a long list of obstacles, including no lists of candidates, long waiting times and being given ballot papers for the wrong constituency.  

 

 

 

 

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