Bangkok police gears up for Sunday by-election, no booze from Saturday evening
The Metropolitan Police Bureau will deploy up to 800 police officers to man polling stations in Bangkok’s Constituency 9 on Sunday, the bureau’s deputy chief Pol Maj-General Jirasan Kaewsangek said on Saturday.
Voters will cast their ballots on Sunday from 8am to 5pm for a new member of Parliament for Constituency 9, which covers parts of Lak Si and Chatuchak districts, after Palang Pracharath Party MP Sira Jenjaka was disqualified by the Constitutional Court.
“There are 280 polling stations in the constituency and at least two officers will be monitoring each station,” Jirasan said. “The bureau will also have a fast-response team and a company of crowd-control officers ready in case of emergency.
“After 6pm on Saturday, sale or distribution of alcoholic beverages in election zones will be prohibited and the bureau has ordered all officers to ensure the law is strictly followed,” he added.
The no-booze regulation will be lifted at 6pm on Sunday.
Jirasan went on to say that police intelligence has reported that the anti-government group “Thalu Gas” is planning protests in six locations from 4pm on Sunday and has advised people to avoid the following areas as they will be heavily congested:
• Government House on Phitsanulok Road
• Finance Ministry on Rama VI Road
• October 14, 1973, memorial on Ratchadamnoen Avenue
• Bangkok Remand Prison in Chatuchak district
• Supreme Court in Phra Nakhon district
• Victory Monument in Ratchathewi district
“Though controls have been eased in Bangkok as it is a pilot tourism area, holding public activities that can spread Covid-19 is considered illegal under the Communicable Disease Act and the Emergency Decree during Covid-19 Situation,” the police spokesman said.
