There were altogether 300 people from the PDRC. Last night they heard that members of the election committee (KorTorTor) and the police would transport 143,000 election tickets from Thalang Police Station to close to the election areas.
The PDRC members then quickly assembled, and began rallying and blowing whistles in front of the Thalang Police Station to prevent anyone getting inside and taking the election tickets.
After gaining access, 20 men from the PDRC were chosen to guard the election tickets inside the police station, while the other protesters went home at midnight, to return at 6.30am this morning.
Led by Surathin Lianudom, Sunya Srimuang and Saman Krolek, most of the protestors were local villagers from Baan Don Village.
They put up tents and intend to stay until tomorrow (February 2) until 3.30pm or until the election is either finished or cancelled.
Elsewhere in the country, soldiers will secure polling stations nationwide and mount patrols to boost security on election day.
Col Winthai Suwaree, deputy army spokesman, yesterday said that army commander-in-chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha has ordered soldiers to secure polling units in Bangkok and other provinces tomorrow.
According to Col Winthai, soldiers will man polling stations and patrol areas in their vicinity to prevent opposing groups clashing with each other. Soldiers will do that through negotiations and will not use force.
Military police and soldiers will also conduct patrols on the elevated Din Daeng-Don Muang tollway above Vibhavadi Rangsit Road in the capital to prevent attacks on the innocent.
However, soldiers cannot be permanently deployed on the tollway as requested by the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC).
PDRC demonstrators led by many former MPs of the Democrat Party are opposing tomorrow's election and calling for political reform before the polls.
"The army chief ordered redeployment of soldiers for comprehensive coverage including areas overlooking polling stations and patrols on the tollway.
“But soldiers cannot secure the tollway all the time because they have so many missions and tasks in other areas," Col Winthai said.
Meanwhile, national police chief Pol Gen Adul Saengsingkaew said 140,000 police officers would try to maintain order nationwide tomorrow and soldiers would help by manning checkpoints and handling untoward incidents.
The chief said he expected demonstrators to try to block voting in Bangkok, Samut Songkhram, Prachuap Khiri Khan and many other provinces in the South.
Yesterday officials could not deliver ballot papers to polling stations in the southern provinces of Songkhla, Nakhon Si Thammarat and Chumphon. Authorities were trying to convince protesters to release the papers, Pol Gen Adul said.
Also yesterday, guards of the protesting PDRC arrested Sampas Kulsriroj. He was allegedly in possession of giant firecrackers, long knives, some rifle rounds, 23 .22 rounds, a rifle scope, fake vehicle registration plates and cards identifying himself as a guard of the pro-government red-shirt movement in Pathum Thani.
Additional reporting by the Bangkok Post.