Three-day voting in Russia’s State Duma elections begins in Phuket

TASS

BANGKOK, September 18. /TASS/. Three-day voting in the State Duma elections has begun in Thailand’s resort province of Phuket. The polling station at the Russian Consulate General will be open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. local time (4:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Moscow time) through September 20.

The consulate noted that "Russian citizens aged 18 and older who reside or are temporarily staying within the consular district may take part in the elections." Voters must present a valid Russian passport for foreign travel. Advance registration is not required. Phuket, a popular destination among Russian tourists, is the only province in Thailand where voting will take place over three days.

Russian Consul General in Phuket Egor Ivanov told a TASS correspondent that "around 40,000 tourists from Russia currently arrive on the island each month during the low season."

"According to Phuket Airport data, 15,000 Russian citizens arrived in Phuket in the first two weeks of September. During the high season from November through March, this figure is significantly higher and can reach 140,000 visitors from Russia per month," he said. As for the number of Russians permanently residing on the island, the consul general said that "an estimate of 10,000-14,000 people reflects the actual situation."

Fonte: TASS