Thailand managed to hold elections on Sunday without the bloodshed that many had feared, but the results are incomplete – anti-democracy managed to block millions of people from voting at enough polling stations that a follow-up vote will have to be held.

Demonstrations prevented voting from taking place in 438 of Bangkok's 6,671 polling stations, and there was no voting at all in nine southern provinces.  Some six million registered voters were affected by the closures, according to the Election Commission.  But the government said there was no disruption in the north and northeast of the country, the stronghold of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

Protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban said the government would be unable to declare a result because of the closures, adding, “Therefore the election is a waste of time and money.”

But the government is not going to stand for that.  The first of a series of by-elections is scheduled for 23 February.