Phangnga _ Election day was a chaotic experience for voters and would-be voters in the tsunami-wrecked district of Takua Pa.

Many voters complained that they could not locate polling stations because the Election Commission had failed to tell them of alternative locations after the original venues were damaged or wrecked during the tsunami.

Ban Nam Khem villager Rungtip Bonoi, 34, described how she had to visit three different polling stations in a bid to find her name on the roll.

``During previous elections, villagers were sent letters from the district office prior to polling day, informing them of where polling stations were located,'' she said. ``However, this time, we received very little information regarding the election.''

Meanwhile, survivors of the tsunami now residing in temporary camps were reportedly concerned that by sharing the same pick-up truck, they would breach election laws. However, Phangnga Naval Base eventually organised shuttle buses to transport people from the camps to polling stations.

Observing the vote in Takua Pa district, Elin Bjarnegard, a monitor for the Asian Network for Free Elections, a regional independent poll watchdog, expressed concern that the names of those who had died or were missing following the Dec 26 tsunami may have been abused, since they might not have been deleted from the lists of eligible voters.

According to Takua Pa district office, a large number of residents were still classified as missing, meaning their names would still appear on the roll.

Meanwhile, polling stations offered survivors of the tsunami the opportunity to catch up with developments in their communities.

Following the tsunami, many of these people were dispersed into temporary shelters, such as Bang Muang, Bang Niang, Khuek Khak and Pru Tiew, while others moved in with relatives in other districts or nearby provinces.

``The election day has brought us together again. It's so nice to see our friends and neighbours after running around, searching for bodies and seeking compensation for more than a month,'' said Prakob Chanmeung, 40, a fisherman from Ban Nam Khem, who lost his parents, wife, a daughter, and a brother in the tsunami.

Many villagers had flocked to polling stations by 7.30am, half an hour before voting was due to begin. Survivors used the time to exchange stories and experiences.

An officer at a polling station in tambon Khuek Khak, one of the province's hardest-hit areas, said voters came early because most of them had lost their livelihoods and were now unemployed.

By 9am, around 200 voters had arrived at a polling station at Ban Nam Khem school. Voter turnout was expected to be far lower than in previous elections as more than 1,000 villagers were listed as either dead or missing following the tsunami.

Takua Pa district is located in Phangnga's constituency 2, which covers Takua Pa, Tai Muang, Kapong and Kura Buri districts. Only two candidates are competing for the seat _ Jurin Laksanavisit from the Democrat party and Thai Rak Thai's Krit Srifa.