BANGKOK, March 15 (Xinhua) -- Thailand is imposing a ban on sales and distribution of alcoholic drinks ahead of the day of pre-voting and the weekend of the general election on March 24.
Sunday, March 17 will feature a day of pre-voting where alcohol sales and distribution will be forbidden from 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 16 until 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 17.
The ban will be preceded on the following weekend of March 23 and March 24 as well.
Violations of the ban are punishable by imprisonment of up to six months or a fine up to 10,000 baht (312 U.S. dollars).
The restriction is imposed to prevent electoral fraud such as vote buying or bribery, according to Thai police. They believe that canvassers usually try to bribe voters in different ways, including throwing parties the night before the poll, to attract votes.
Police said that weddings and parties can still be organized on these dates but there must be no alcohol.
Police will step up security at the polling stations as well as tighten the management of road traffic to facilitate voters exercising their rights.
Thailand is holding a general election on March 24, the first since the current military government took power in a May 2014 coup.
