Photos courtesy of Post Today
More than 140,000 Thais living abroad have registered to vote in the February 2 general election, authorities reported.
Read the following story from the Bangkok Post to learn more about the advance registrations.
Caretaker Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul said reports from 92 Thai embassies and consulates in 67 countries show that 143,800 out of a total of more than a million Thais living overseas have registered for advance voting. The ministry has set aside 70 million baht to prepare for the election overseas, which will be held from January 13 to 26.
STRONG SUPPORT
Surapong said that the number of people who had registered to vote showed that many Thais living overseas support the election. Of those who registered this year, 103,056 Thais are in Singapore, followed by 14,985 in the United States, 8,868 in Germany and 5,239 in the United Kingdom.
“From these numbers we can see that Thais overseas understand the democratic system and would like to see the election take place on February 2,” Surapong said. “This shows that the election is the best way ahead to solve various problems in Thailand.”
CONTROVERSIAL COMMITTEE
Surapong said that the protests led by the People’s Democratic Reform Committee to obstruct candidacy registration and shut down Bangkok are not in line with democracy and are therefore considered illegal.
PEACE PROMISED
On January 6, Surapong met Matilda Kate Bogner, an official from the South-East Asia Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and Fred Grimm, deputy head of the Regional Delegation, International Committee of the Red Cross at police headquarters. Surapong said that the government would protect human rights and allow people to demonstrate peacefully.
Exercises
Read through the story. Then, decide whether the following statements are true or false.
1. More than 400,000 Thais living abroad have registered to vote in the upcoming general election.
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2. Surapong Tovichakchaikul is working for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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3. There are more than 90 Thai embassies throughout the world.
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4. The upcoming general election is scheduled to be held on February 12.
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Vocabulary
- consulate (n): the building where a government official who is the representative of their country in a foreign country works
democratic (adj): describing a system of government that is controlled by representatives who are elected by the people of a country
candidacy (n): the fact of being a candidate in an election
