Bangkok (NNT/VNA) - Thailand's Department of Provincial Administration (DOPA) has explained that issues with the online advanced voting system were due to miscommunications between the systems domestic and international parts, that have since been rectified.

Throughout the first day of registration for advanced voting in the coming general election, DOPA received a slew of complaints that its online channel was failing and inaccessible. The issue was tracked down to a miscommunication stemming from a rule allowing only Thais abroad to use the system that was incorrectly implemented to mean the site could not be accessed outside of the Kingdom. The problem has since been fixed and the online channel is now fully useable alongside the mail channel and district office channel.

The Election Commission (EC) has allowed citizens to register for advanced voting until February 19. Registration requires only a valid national identification card and can be done at any district office or Thai embassy abroad if not via the Internet.

Only civil servants and those with state recognized missions on March 24 are eligible for advanced voting. Reasons for an inability to vote on the day of the election can be related at state offices.

Advanced voting will take place on March 17, 2019 between 8a.m. and 5p.m. The EC expects over 2 million people to vote before the election.

The EC has requested all television and radio stations allot 60 minutes per day between March 8 and 21 to political party campaigns to accommodate the 105 parties guaranteed by law to have equal air time.-NNT/VNA