Vote counting would be finished an hour after the polls closed, unofficial results would be known by 8pm and official results would be announced on May 9, Election Commission chairman Ittiporn Boonpracong said on Sunday.
He gave the timeframe as he cast his vote at Suan Bua School on Soi Ratchakhru in Phaya Thai district in the morning. While there, he also inspected the operations of three polling units within the school grounds.
Mr Ittiporn urged voters to remember the guidelines spoken by King Rama IX, that people should select good people to govern and control bad people -- which King Rama X referred to in an announcement from the Royal Household Bureau on Saturday night.
He expected a voter turnout of 80%.
EC secretary-general Jarungvith Phumma said there were 51,205,624 eligible voters and 92,320 polling units nationwide. Each unit was prepared to serve 800-1,000 voters and all voters would be able to cast their ballots within the nine voting hours set, from 8am to 5pm.
He also said that 39 electoral officials from 14 countries, mostly Asian nations, were observing the March 24 polls. They included officials from Australia, Bhutan, Indonesia, the Maldives, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, East Timor and Vietnam.