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This column is for self-study or classroom use and gives guided help with reading the wide variety of writing styles and topics that appear as feature articles in the Bangkok Post. The lessons include background information, skill-building practice and vocabulary explanations. January 18, 2005 Reading about the election: the basics INTRODUCTION

As February 6 approaches, we are seeing more and more news stories about the election campaign. This is a good time; therefore, to make sure we know basic vocabulary for this important subject. I’ve packed as much of it as I could into the short passage below and you can pick up the rest from the Bangkok Post. Read the passage and do the activity that follows, then look in the news section of the Bangkok Post for today’s coverage of the election campaign. During the election campaign, the political parties and their canvassers are busy supporting the candidates running under their banners. Almost every day, you will see party leaders attending rallies for party candidates in the constituencies they hope to represent. The candidates are also busy going door-to-door soliciting votes and pledging a better life for their future constituents. If you listen closely you may also hear some of them harshly criticising their rivals, a practice known as mudslinging. You’ll see the candidates described in many ways. Those who won in the last election and are seeking re-election are known as the incumbents. Candidates who have a lot of support and who are expected to win are known as the favourites. A candidate who is not expected to win, but who just might pull off an upset, is known as a dark-horse candidate. And those who are clearly expected to lose are known as the underdogs. This year there is another important category of candidate — the celebrity candidates. They are the film, TV and music stars who are getting so much media attention. In the Thai system, 400 of the 500 members of parliament are chosen to represent constituencies. The remaining 100 are party-list candidates. Party-list candidates are elected on the basis of the nationwide total of votes their party receives, which explains why party leaders are campaigning hard even in districts where their candidates are likely to lose. When election day arrives, there are several terms you are sure to see a lot. One is the word ballot which refers to the voting paper that people use to record their vote. Their completed ballot is put into a ballot box, a process called casting their ballot. Balloting (voting) takes place at a polling station and when people go to vote we say they go to the polls. The word poll itself can refer either to the whole election or to an opinion survey. This year voter turnout is expected to be heavy and although the Thai Rak Thai party seems likely to win a majority of the seats in parliament, the election is sure to be hotly contested and election evening will be as exciting as ever

OUR PICTURES FROM THE BANGKOK POST QUESTIONS 1. Find a photograph of someone casting a ballot. What is the container that holds the ballot called? Where was the photograph taken? 2. Find one photograph (or more) that shows a constituency candidate for the upcoming election. 3. Find a photograph that shows constituents. 4. Find one photograph (or more) that shows a party list candidate for the upcoming elections. 5. Find one photograph (or more) that shows one or more celebrity candidates. 6. Find one photograph (or more) of a candidate who is heavily favoured to win in his or her constituency. 7. Find a photograph that contains two or more political rivals. 8. Find one photograph (or more) of a candidate who is clearly soliciting votes. campaign the planned set of activities that parties and candidates use to persuade voters before an election canvassers people who try to persuade voters to vote for particular people candidate a person who is trying to be elected running trying to win an elected position (elections are often called “races” and that is why candidates run) parties political organisations that you can vote for in elections under the (party) banner with the support of a political party rallies public meetings and events organised by political parties constituencies districts that elect their own representatives to parliament soliciting asking for support pledging promising constituents people who live in an election district (a constituency) rivals opponents upset an unexpected win (or loss) seeking re-election tying to win an election again after being elected previously turnout the percentage of people who have the right to vote who actually go to vote majority more than half hotly contested to be very competitive • This lesson was prepared by Acharn Terry Fredrickson, BA Stanford, MA (TESL) University of Minnesota, Manager/Editor of the Learning Post at the Bangkok Post and general editor of this programme. Read our other instant lesson here. Return to our home page. | © The Post Publishing Public Co., Ltd. All rights reserved 2005 | Last modified: January 17, 2005