Security increased in the South and Thai-Cambodian border provinces ahead of advance voting

Police have stepped up security in the restive south and in provinces bordering Cambodia to ensure safety ahead of advance voting tomorrow.

Pol Lt-Gen Yingyos Thepchamnong, the assistant national police chief, said today that he does not expect anything untoward or violent incidents which could disrupt the election, adding that police will, however, be deployed at all polling stations to ensure that advance voting runs smoothly.

He also said that police launched a nation-wide crackdown on all criminal activity on January 25th, targeting dark influences, hired gunmen and illegal firearms.

Meanwhile, Election Commission Chairman Narong Klanwarin reminded retailers to observe the ban on the sale of alcoholic drinks from 6pm today until 6pm tomorrow liquor in all constituencies.

He went on to say that advance overseas ballots are arriving in the country, but election officials are yet to sort them, adding that the Election Commission’s Office has, to date, received 60 complaints related to the election, with most of them concerning alleged election fraud.