The Election Commission (EC) said it was necessary for all of its members to travel abroad over the Songkran holiday period to prepare advance voting for the May 14 election, especially in three African countries where many Thai citizens reside.
Speaking after returning from inspection visits to South Africa, Kenya and Morocco, EC chairman Ittiporn Boonpracong defended the move on Tuesday after the agency came under fire for allegedly squandering taxpayers' money.
