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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
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| Thailand election: Country goes to polls | Thailand election: Country goes to polls |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Millions of Thais are voting in a general election boycotted by the opposition and blighted by protests. | Millions of Thais are voting in a general election boycotted by the opposition and blighted by protests. |
| Anti-government protesters are trying to disrupt the vote across Thailand and continue their campaign to force Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to resign. | Anti-government protesters are trying to disrupt the vote across Thailand and continue their campaign to force Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to resign. |
| Ms Yingluck voted soon after polls opened on Sunday near her Bangkok home. | Ms Yingluck voted soon after polls opened on Sunday near her Bangkok home. |
| The prime minister, who won the last election in 2011, called the vote to head off mass protests that began in November. | The prime minister, who won the last election in 2011, called the vote to head off mass protests that began in November. |
| Her opponents took to the streets after her government tried to pass an amnesty law that would potentially have allowed her brother, Thaksin, to return from exile. | Her opponents took to the streets after her government tried to pass an amnesty law that would potentially have allowed her brother, Thaksin, to return from exile. |
| Thaksin, a former prime minister who fled during a court case in 2008, is reviled by the protesters, who say he controls the government from abroad. | Thaksin, a former prime minister who fled during a court case in 2008, is reviled by the protesters, who say he controls the government from abroad. |
| Security is heavy throughout Thailand, with vast areas under a state of emergency because of the protests. | Security is heavy throughout Thailand, with vast areas under a state of emergency because of the protests. |
| "The situation overall is calm and we haven't received any reports of violence this morning," National Security Council chief Paradorn Pattanatabutr told Reuters. | |
| "The protesters are rallying peacefully to show their opposition to this election," he said. | |
| Security officials said about 130,000 personnel would be deployed across Thailand on Sunday, including 12,000 in Bangkok. | Security officials said about 130,000 personnel would be deployed across Thailand on Sunday, including 12,000 in Bangkok. |
| Polling stations opened at 08:00 (01:00 GMT) and will close at 15:00 (08:00 GMT), but there has been little campaigning and it is unclear how many Thais will turn out. | Polling stations opened at 08:00 (01:00 GMT) and will close at 15:00 (08:00 GMT), but there has been little campaigning and it is unclear how many Thais will turn out. |
| Polling is being disrupted in at least three districts in the capital and elsewhere in the south, strongholds of the opposition Democrat Party, which is boycotting the election. | Polling is being disrupted in at least three districts in the capital and elsewhere in the south, strongholds of the opposition Democrat Party, which is boycotting the election. |
| The BBC's Jonathan Head in Bangkok says crowds of demonstrators there are blocking access to would-be voters at some polling stations and preventing ballot papers reaching polling stations. | The BBC's Jonathan Head in Bangkok says crowds of demonstrators there are blocking access to would-be voters at some polling stations and preventing ballot papers reaching polling stations. |
| "Today is an important day,'" Ms Yingluck said as she voted. "I would like to invite Thai people to come out and vote to uphold democracy." | "Today is an important day,'" Ms Yingluck said as she voted. "I would like to invite Thai people to come out and vote to uphold democracy." |
| Some voters expressed frustration when they found their local polling stations blockaded by opposition supporters. | Some voters expressed frustration when they found their local polling stations blockaded by opposition supporters. |
| "This is too much. I want to vote,"' 42-year-old Yupin Pintong told the Associated Press news agency. "I don't care if there's violence. I will be really upset if I don't get to vote." | "This is too much. I want to vote,"' 42-year-old Yupin Pintong told the Associated Press news agency. "I don't care if there's violence. I will be really upset if I don't get to vote." |
| Ballot blockade | Ballot blockade |
| Trouble broke out in Bangkok on Saturday when pro-government groups tried to access a building that was storing ballot papers. | Trouble broke out in Bangkok on Saturday when pro-government groups tried to access a building that was storing ballot papers. |
| Anti-government protesters had blockaded the building, and opened fire with handguns and rifles, sending journalists and passers-by fleeing for cover during a 30-minute gun battle. | Anti-government protesters had blockaded the building, and opened fire with handguns and rifles, sending journalists and passers-by fleeing for cover during a 30-minute gun battle. |
| Footage from the scene showed pro-government protesters nursing injuries, and anti-government protesters firing guns. | Footage from the scene showed pro-government protesters nursing injuries, and anti-government protesters firing guns. |
| US photojournalist James Nachtwey was hit in the leg by a bullet, but was not seriously injured. | US photojournalist James Nachtwey was hit in the leg by a bullet, but was not seriously injured. |
| "I consider myself extremely lucky," Mr Nachtwey told the Wall Street Journal. | "I consider myself extremely lucky," Mr Nachtwey told the Wall Street Journal. |
| Correspondents say less unrest is expected in the rural north and east, because Ms Yingluck's Pheu Thai party has such overwhelming support. | Correspondents say less unrest is expected in the rural north and east, because Ms Yingluck's Pheu Thai party has such overwhelming support. |
| The Democrat Party, which is allied to the protesters, has been unable to win a majority in parliament for more than two decades. | The Democrat Party, which is allied to the protesters, has been unable to win a majority in parliament for more than two decades. |
| Many of their members want the government to be replaced by an unelected "people's council" that would oversee wide reform of the political system. | Many of their members want the government to be replaced by an unelected "people's council" that would oversee wide reform of the political system. |
| Even if the election passes off peacefully, the result will almost certainly be challenged in the courts and could be annulled. | Even if the election passes off peacefully, the result will almost certainly be challenged in the courts and could be annulled. |
| Ms Yingluck's party is already facing a host of legal challenges that could see it disbanded, as has happened with pro-Thaksin parties in the past. | Ms Yingluck's party is already facing a host of legal challenges that could see it disbanded, as has happened with pro-Thaksin parties in the past. |
| Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. |
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