“All our 438 schools will serve as polling stations, with their chairs and tables arranged to facilitate the public referendum on Sunday. So, there won’t be enough time to return the place to normal so classes can be held the following day,” Jaroon Meethanataworn, chief of the BMA’s Education Bureau, said yesterday.

He added that apart from equipment, teachers of the BMA-run schools also had to man the polling booths.

Jaroon said make-up classes would be provided later.

BMA’s permanent secretary Pirapong Saicheua said such closure of schools was allowed under BMA regulations.