Initial results in Thailand's first-ever national referendum on Sunday showed the new constitution draft has been approved, the country's Election Commission announced shortly before midnight.

 

Thai Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont (L) casts his vote at a polling station in Bangkok Aug. 19, 2007. Thailand held a referendum on its draft constitution on Aug. 19.

 

The commission said unofficial results just 30 minutes before midnight, eight hours after the polling officially closed at 4 PM (0900GMT) Sunday, showed the majority of voters favor the new charter.

 

The tally recorded some 25 million votes out of a total of some 46 million eligible voters throughout Thailand, who have been urged by the government to exercise their rights in the unprecedented referendum.

 

Among the counted votes cast in 88,000 polling stations across 76 provinces of Thailand, including Bangkok, 56.7 percent voted for the charter draft, with 41.4 percent against; 1.9 percent of the votes were deemed invalid.

 

Bangkok, the capital, counted 64.5 percent "Yes" votes and 34.4percent "No" votes.

 

The other 25 provinces in the central region recorded 66 percent "Yes" votes and 32 percent "No" votes.

 

Over 86 percent of voters in the South voted for and 11 percent against.

 

A Thai Muslim woman casts her ballot at a polling station in Thailand's Yala province, around 1084 km (672 miles) south of Bangkok, Aug. 19, 2007.

 

Although the Northern and Northeastern regions were both considered the traditional voter base for ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his now-defunct Thai Rak Thai Party, initial results displayed mixed outcomes in the two regions.

 

In the North, supporters of the military-backed charter draft -- 52 percent, outnumbered opponents, 46 percent, while the Northeast counted 62 percent opponents and 36 percent supporters.

 

The initial results turned out a less impressive margin than earlier exit polls, which showed around 70 percent "Yes" votes.

 

Official results of the referendum are expected to be released on Monday afternoon.

 

(Xinhua News Agency August 20, 2007)