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Thailand’s Election Officials Go to Scotland to Observe Scottish Vote

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Yes and no voters in Scotland

Yes and no voters in Scotland

 

 

BANGKOK – Members of Thailand’s Election Commission, who were reluctant to organize elections earlier this year in their own country, were among the observers of the drama that played out in Scotland (and the United Kingdom).

According to a statement released by Election Commissioner Somchai Srisutthiyakorn, a group of officials traveled to Scotland for seven days at the expense of Thai taxpayers to observe the referendum polling, the Khaosod website reported.

Earlier this year, the government of former Prime Mininster Yingluck Shinawatra accused EC officials of succumbing to anti-government pressure after parliament was dissolved and new elections called for February 2.

“The election on February 2 is impossible. It’s really impossible to hold it peacefully and fairly, because there are some issues with the situation that you all know well,” one senior election official had said before the polling.

When voting did proceed, EC officials in a number of polling booths closed their facilities in the face of what they claimed was more pressure from the anti-government side. When a court nullified the result of the February 2 election, the EC resisted the government’s attempt to organize another poll.

A second fresh election was eventually scheduled for July, but in May the military launched a coup. The country remains under martial law.

“People who support the independence of Scotland and those who oppose it are friendly to each other,” Mr Somchai said in a statement that drew a distinction between events in Thailand and Scotland. “Each side fought with reasons. There was no violence.”

Thailand’s military rulers now say elections will be not be held until October 2015, and only if “national reconciliation” has been achieved and the political climate is deemed stable.

Scotland ended up voting to remain part of the UK by a 55% to 45% majority, as the Better Together campaign won the historic referendum.

The result became a mathematical certainty just after 6am, when local authority Fife announced the ‘No’ campaign had won with 55% of its votes.

The final area to declare its results was Aberdeen, who again awarded Alistair Darling’s pro-Union campaign the victory with 53% of the votes.

Scotland has voted to remain part of the UK by a 55% to 45% majority, as the Better Together campaign won the historic referendum.

The result became a mathematical certainty just after 6am, when local authority Fife announced the ‘No’ campaign had won with 55% of its votes.

The final area to declare its results was Aberdeen, who again awarded Alistair Darling’s pro-Union campaign the victory with 53% of the votes.

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