A man was arrested for tearing up a voting ballot at polling unit No 13 in Soi Matanusorn in Bang Kholaem district, Pol Maj-Gen Adul Narongsak, a deputy metropolitan police chief, said.
The man, identified as Somdet Phiansuwan, 59, said during preliminary questioning by police that he tore the ballot in two because he mistook it to be similar to the one he cast in the July 3, 2011 general election.
The 2011 election, which the Pheu Thai Party won to make Yingluck Shinawatra Thailand’s first female prime minister, involved giving voters two ballots -- one containing the names of political parties and the other the names of constituency-based and party-list based MP candidates.
Mr Somdej said he ripped up the ballot because he misunderstood it. He did not mean to break the election law. Authorities should have installed a board bearing explanations on exercising the right to votes at polling stations, he said.
Police will question him further, Pol Maj-Gen Adul said.
Meanwhile, Post Today's website quoted Election Commission secretary-general Puchong Nutrawong as saying that Mr Somdet was found to have had mental health treatment.
