The Delegation of International Parliamentarians’ Congress Observes Thailand General Elections 2023
14th May 2023: The International Parliamentarians’ Congress (IPC) successfully conducted an election observation mission to Thailand and observe their General Elections 2023. The IPC, having received accreditation from the Electoral Commission of Thailand (ECT), deployed a two-member delegation to observe the electoral process and ensure its transparency and fairness. The delegation was headed by the Secretary General IPC Senator Sitara Ayaz, accompanied by Manager Communications IPC Ms. Mehk Butt. The delegation arrived in Bangkok and immediately engaged in a comprehensive program organized by the ECT. On day one, a key meeting was held, during which the ECT shared detailed information about the election process with all the observer organizations. This meeting served as an essential foundation for understanding the electoral procedures and principles that would guide the observation mission. Moreover, the delegation met with the representatives from A-WEB, the Election Commission of India, the Election Commission of Cambodia, the Election Commission of South Africa and various other officials and international organizations representatives. On day two, which was the pre-election day, the IPC delegation visited various polling stations in Bangkok, with the purpose of closely observing the process of distributing election materials to the dedicated polling station staff. Additionally, the delegation had the opportunity to interview a select number of staff members to gain insights into their roles, responsibilities, and preparedness for election day. The election day, marked as the third day of the delegation’s mission, was divided into two distinct parts. In the morning, the IPC delegates observed the process of vote casting, ensuring its transparency and integrity. They precisely monitored polling stations to ensure compliance with electoral regulations and observe that every eligible citizen was exercising their democratic right freely. Once the vote-casting time was ended, the IPC delegation continued its commitment to observing the electoral process by visiting the polling stations to observe the vote-counting process. The vote-counting process was held in a very transparent way, showing the ballot paper and counting the votes of representatives in front of observers. The International Parliamentarians Congress would like to extend its gratitude to the Electoral Commission of Thailand for the opportunity to observe the Thai General Elections 2023. The IPC reaffirms its commitment to fostering transparent and inclusive democratic practices worldwide. The findings and observations made during the mission will be compiled into a comprehensive report, which will be shared with the relevant stakeholders and the general public in due course.
The President of International Parliamentarians’ Congress (IPC) Appointed Honorable Ms. Sitara Ayaz As The New Secretary General, IPC
Honourable Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif has recently been appointed as the Special Assistant on Information in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa KPK Government and due to his engagements on the new post, President of IPC, Senator Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani appointed the former Senator Ms. Sitara Ayaz as the new Secretary General IPC. Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif gave valuable services to IPC during his tenure and played a significant role in bringing IPC to this level. IPC highly acknowledges and admires his efforts and contributions and also extends him good wishes with his new responsibilities in the KPK government. Honorable Sitara Ayaz has a wide experience of work in a variety of fields like climate change, environmental issues, and human rights. The addition of Ms. Sitara Ayaz to IPC will have immense positive implications in the future, and IPC is eagerly looking forward to taking benefits from the vast experience of the newly appointed Secretary General Ms. Sitara Ayaz. We warmly welcome her and wish her a wonderful time in the IPC to work as a team and take IPC to a new level of the horizon.