Nearly 40% of Thais living overseas have exercised their right to vote in the general election, the Overseas Election Coordination Centre reported.

Of the 104,073 registered voters, 41,478 have cast their votes, or 39.85%. This was up slightly from 36% in the 2001 elections, but many more people participated.

The final tally from overseas, released yesterday, was delayed by strikes and winter storms in some countries, the centre said.

Overseas voting was available in 83 embassies and consulates in 77 countries from Jan 20-30. Ballots from the last 14 polling units were to reach Bangkok this afternoon and would be forwarded to the voters' home constituencies.

The biggest turnout was in the USA (4,967 voters), followed by China and Hong Kong (3,465), Germany (3,438), Saudi Arabia (2,598) and Taiwan (2,563).

In the last general election 40,670 Thai nationals registered to vote abroad and 14,000 actually voted.

Organising the overseas vote accounted for about 1% of the Election Commission's 2.3 billion baht poll-preparation budget. Organising the overseas vote in 2001 cost about the same, 23 million baht.