Myanmar citizens head to early polls in Bangkok

Bangkok: A few dozen early voters in Myanmar s widely criticised elections cast their ballots at the country s embassy in Bangkok on Saturday as polls...

Bangkok: A few dozen early voters in Myanmar's widely criticised elections cast their ballots at the country's embassy in Bangkok on Saturday as polls opened for citizens abroad.

Myanmar's junta snatched power in a 2021 coup which plunged the country into a many-sided civil war, but it promises that polls will move the country towards peace and democracy.

The phased election is slated to begin in certain parts of the country in late December, but early voting abroad has begun at a few Myanmar embassies, including in Hong Kong, Singapore, Chiang Mai and Bangkok.

There was a heavy police presence on Saturday morning at the Bangkok embassy, where AFP journalists saw around 25 people sign up in the first two hours of polling.

Several voters declined to offer comment.