The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) opens registration on Thursday for candidates contesting the June 28 Bangkok governor and city council elections, with a budget of 294.1 million baht allocated for the polls.
City officials expect voter turnout to exceed the roughly 60% recorded in the 2022 election as the number of eligible voters rises across the capital.
Bangkok city clerk Narong Ruangsri, who also serves as the capital's local election director, said the election will include 50 constituencies for Bangkok council seats and a single constituency for the governorship.
The BMA says the number of eligible voters in the capital now stands at 4,507,523, up from 4,402,948 in the previous election in 2022. Authorities will set up 6,629 polling stations across Bangkok.
The BMA allocated 294.1 million baht for the election, about 86 million baht more than the previous poll, reflecting expanded operations, additional polling facilities and voter participation campaigns.
Mr Narong said the BMA was campaigning to encourage as many residents as possible to cast ballots.
Nearly 1,500 officials have been deployed to oversee registration, document checks, public assistance and security operations, he said. Registration runs from Thursday until Monday from 8.30am to 4.30pm at Bangkok City Hall in Din Daeng.
Security measures have also been tightened around the registration venue with support from the Metropolitan Police Bureau, Din Daeng police, bomb disposal teams and city law enforcement officers.
Authorities said emergency response plans were in place, including flood prevention measures covering 216 flood-prone areas across the capital during the election period.
Election officials reminded candidates to strictly comply with campaign advertising regulations.
