Kalasin: The Deputy Secretary-General of the Election Commission announced that the opening of municipal ballot boxes nationwide went smoothly, and stressed the importance of adhering to election laws while urgently investigating a reported vote-buying incident in Kalasin.

According to Thai News Agency, Pol. Lt. Col. Rapipong Chirapattanaluck, the deputy secretary-general of the Election Commission, held a press conference regarding the successful opening of 34,818 polling stations for municipal council members and mayors across 76 provinces in Thailand, excluding Bangkok. The polling stations opened for voting at 8:00 a.m., and despite thunderstorms the previous day, no unusual events were reported.

Today’s election is for municipal council members and mayors in 76 provinces, covering 2,463 locations, with a total of 29,936,705 eligible voters, which accounts for roughly half of the nation’s population. The Election Commission (EC) aims for a 70 percent voter turnout, as 66 percent participated in the last election. The EC has emphasized the importance of following legal guidelines while voting, warning that violations could result in severe penalties, including imprisonment and fines.

The legal prohibitions include: attempting to vote if not eligible, using unauthorized ballot cards, removing ballots from polling stations, marking ballots improperly, using devices to photograph ballots, unauthorized ballot handling, disclosing one’s vote, accepting money for votes, damaging ballots, and tampering with or spoiling ballots.

Eligible voters nationwide are encouraged to vote until 5:00 p.m. today. Election updates can be followed on the Election Commission website, Facebook page, or through their hotline.

Regarding the alleged vote-buying incident in Kalasin, where reports claim that 3,000 baht was distributed per person, the Election Commission has dispatched an investigation team to delve into the details. The team aims to identify both the distributors and recipients of the money to enforce legal action.