The Election Commission (EC) expressed concern over low voter turnout estimates for the nationwide election of Provincial Administrative Organisation (PAO) members to be held on Feb 1.
"The number of voters is expected to be low, but more than 50% of those eligible [to vote]," said EC secretary-general Sawaeng Boonmee on Friday.
He said the EC hopes the turnout will reach 65-70% and that the media will help encourage people to exercise their voting rights.
According to Mr Sawaeng, the Feb 1 poll is unconventional as it will be the second half of the PAO elections for 29 provinces, whose polls for PAO chiefs were already called this year following their premature resignation before their terms end on Dec 19.
Of these provinces, 20 have already announced the results of their elections to find a PAO chief.
"While new PAO members of all 76 provinces will be elected on Feb 1, only 47 provinces will see their PAO chief elected on the same day," he said.
Under these circumstances, he said, 29 provinces are spending a bigger budget than the others because the elections for the PAO members and chiefs were supposed to be held at the same time.
He added that the two-step election also affects the administrative work, especially in Ubon Ratchathani, Uttaradit, Phetchabun and Tak, which will stage their PAO chairman elections in two weeks.
According to Mr Sawaeng, the new PAO chiefs in these four provinces will not be able to start working immediately after they are elected, as the term of their PAO council would already have ended.
These four PAO chairmen will have to wait until the new PAO members are elected on Feb 1, he said.
