(1 April) Pro-government supporters in many provinces have simultaneously filed complaints against the Constitutional Court for invalidating the 2nd of February general election.

The court has deemed the poll unconstitutional since the election was not completed in a single day as required in the 2007 Constitution, but Redshirts activists have argued that the verdict is unfair, as it was anti-government protesters who blocked election venues in many districts, causing the election in those affected areas to be canceled. 

The People's Committee for Absolute Democracy With the King As Head of State (PCAD) has denounced and boycotted the 2^nd of February election as fraudulent, and insisted that "reforms" are needed before any election can be held. 

Termed "The National Complaint Day", the campaign encouraged the Redshirts to file a charge of treason and attempt to overthrow sovereign power of the Legislative Branch under Article 113 of the Criminal Codes against the 6 majority Constitutional Court judges who ruled in the election verdict.

At Mueang Police Station in Nakhon Panom province, over 200 Redshirts gathered to file complaints to the police, led by Mr. Praong Boonpong, former Minister of Labour, and Ms. Monpon Charoensri, a former MP.  

The demonstrators wore black to symbolise their disagreement with the court, and brought placards which read "How come 6 judges have more power than 20 million votes?" and "They robbed the people's rights".

After filing complaint with the police, Mr. Prasong told reporters that he finds it unacceptable that the government has spent over 3.8 billion baht organising the elections, many citizens have sacrificed their money and time to travel to their hometowns for voting, and candidates have dedicated their funds in the vote-canvassing campaign, only to have their efforts annulled by the Constitutional Court.

"The court rules without listening to the voices of more than 20 million people who went out to vote," Mr. Prasong fumed, "It's a grave crime against democracy".

Mr. Baworn Buppavet, a 77-year old Redshirt supporter at the rally, said the Constitutional Court should have listened more to the people, especially those who live in the countryside "areas the judges have always neglected". 

Around 40 Redshirts also rallied in Bang Phlat district of Bangkok to urge the police to take legal action against the Constitutional Court.

In Chiang Mai province, "Love Chiang Mai 51" group has mobilised their supporters to file complaints at local police stations, and plan to hold candle-lit vigils in front of the police stations this evening to voice their support for democracy in Thailand.

The group will also hold religious ceremony on 3 April to give blessing to thousands of local Redshirts who would join mass rally called by the United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) on 5 April, one of its group leaders said. 

Many Redshirts demonstrators in Ubon Ratchathani province also rallied in front of provincial police stations and lodged their complaint against the Constitutional Court judges. 

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(1 April) The Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army has denied reports that the military might impose martial laws to contain rival mass protests on 5 April.

Leaders of both anti-government and pro-government movements have called for mass demonstrations this Saturday as show of strength, raising fears that violent clashes might break out between the rival protesters, while a number of media reports indicate that the army may resort to martial laws to quell the unrest.

Clashes between the two rival groups in early December last year left 1 anti-government protester and 3 pro-government demonstrators dead. 

But Gen. Prayuth Chan-Ocha said there is no plan for martial laws. 

"The violence that many people are afraid of has not happened yet," Gen. Prayuth said "There is no need to speculate".

He also insisted that over 170 military checkpoints deployed around Bangkok's downtown area are necessary measures for providing public security, dismissing concerns from pro-government critics that the military has deployed the troops to intimidate the government.

Lt.Gen. Paradorn Pattanatabutr, head of the National Security Council, echoed Gen. Prayuth's sentiment, expressing his belief that no clash or violence would take place on 5 April.

He explained that it is unlikely that the two rival protest groups would encroach their opponent's territory. "I've been informed that the UDD will hold their rallies outside Bangkok, while the PCAD will mobilise their supporters at Lumpini Park, which is an area where it is easy to maintain security," Lt.Gen. Paradorn said.

The NSC director insisted that the government can contain the protests with the existing Internal Security Act, and a declaration of martial laws would be unnecessary. 

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(30 March) Polls for elected Senate seats open today amid a widely apathetic mood, with election officials admitting that they expect a low turnout.

The election will install 77 Senators – one for each province of Thailand – to the Thai upper house. The other 73 Senators are appointed in accordance with the 2007 Constitution, which abolished the fully-elected house of Senate decreed by the now-defunct 1997 Constitution.

Reports from many provinces suggest that voters are not as enthused as the Election Commission (EC) would have liked, despite the agency's spending on public relations campaigns designed to encourage the voters to go out and vote.

In Pathum Thani province, the voters are so scarce that no line formed at all at the entrance to the ballot station. Some residents, who refuse to be identified by names, told our correspondent they had no wish to vote as there are possibilities that the result might end up being invalidated by the Constitutional Court like the 2 February general election.

Some residents, from Chinese descent, said they will have to skip the ballots due to the annual Chinese tradition of grave-sweeping which requires them to travel to their ancestors' graves upcountry.

The apathy might also be due to restriction concerning the Senate election, such as bans on vote-canvassing campaigns by candidates. 

Pol.Lt.Col. Suchart Surasadcha, local EC director in Pathum Thani, said he expected the turn out rate to be as low as 40%, far lower than the EC officially expect, and certainly lower than the 70% turnout for 2 February election.  

The turnout is also low in Nakhon Si Thammarat, although an 83-year old woman arrived at the poll station in Phasa School in Mueang district to cast her ballot when the polling station opened  at 08.00, explaining that she had never missed a single election in her entire life.

Nong Khai province has similarly seen little enthusiasm, but nevertheless upcountry polling stations see more voter turnouts than in downtown areas.

EC officials said they have not received any reports of major disturbance at any of the ballot stations, a stark difference to the advance voting and election day for the lower House, which saw violent campaigns by anti-government protesters to scuttle the votes. 

The unofficial result of the Senate election is expected to be declared by 20.00 tonight.

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