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ECP Debates Ballot Issue, New Vote in 3 Units, Recount in Over 20 Units

ECP Debates Ballot Issue, New Vote in 3 Units, Recount in Over 20 Units

Prachachat•Politics•6h ago

Reader Briefing

Thailand's Election Commission is holding intense discussions regarding ballot printing and has ordered new votes in three polling units, while also considering a recount in over 20 units due to discrepancies.

  • •The Election Commission of Thailand (ECP) is deliberating on the format of ballots for a new vote scheduled for February 22, 2026.
  • •New votes have been ordered in three specific polling units: Unit 9, Constituency 15, Klong Sam Wa District, Bangkok; Unit 3, Constituency 1, Mueang District, Nan Province; and Unit 4, Constituency 6, Chaiwan District, Udon Thani Province.
  • •The ECP is also contemplating a recount in over 20 polling units following the discovery of "mismatched ballots" where the number of votes cast does not align with the number of voters.

Overview

  • •On February 17, 2026, the ECP meeting continued discussions from the previous day concerning the printing of new ballots.
  • •The format of the new ballots, including the inclusion of batch numbers, ballot numbers, and barcodes, remains undecided.
  • •The ECP fears that differences in ballot formats could lead to legal challenges and negatively impact ongoing court cases regarding the legality of barcodes on election ballots.
  • •The ECP anticipates ordering a recount in more than 20 polling units, with this likely to occur in late February 2026.
  • •An investigation is underway regarding the discovery of marked ballot forms for both party-list and constituency elections in Constituency 6 of Samut Prakan Province, found discarded in a garbage dump.
  • •The discrepancy in voter numbers, potentially over 66,000 between constituency and party-list votes as shown on the ECP's unofficial reporting website, ECT Report 69, is preventing the official release of election results.
  • •The ECP is opting to provide explanations primarily through written documents rather than press conferences to avoid misinterpretations.
  • •The ECP has formally responded to the Personal Data Protection Committee (PDPC) regarding legal issues concerning barcodes on ballots, affirming the direct and secret nature of voting in polling booths.

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Key Entities

Organization

Election Commission of Thailand (ECP)(กกต.)ℹ️
The official body responsible for overseeing elections in Thailand, currently engaged in discussions and decisions regarding ballot discrepancies and new voting procedures.
Personal Data Protection Committee (PDPC)(สคส.)
The committee to which a complaint was filed regarding the ECP's use of barcodes on election ballots, and to which the ECP has sent a clarifying letter.

Place

Samut Prakan Province(สมุทรปราการ)ℹ️
A province in Thailand where marked ballot forms for elections were found discarded in a garbage dump, leading to an investigation.
Bangkok(กรุงเทพฯ)ℹ️
The capital city of Thailand, one of the locations where a new vote has been ordered in Polling Unit 9, Constituency 15, Klong Sam Wa District.
Nan Province(จ.น่าน)ℹ️
A province in Thailand where a new vote has been ordered in Polling Unit 3, Constituency 1, Mueang District.
Udon Thani Province(จ.อุดรธานี)ℹ️
A province in Thailand where a new vote has been ordered in Polling Unit 4, Constituency 6, Chaiwan District.

Law

ECT Report 69( ECTรีพอร์ต 69)
The unofficial election results reporting website of the ECP, which shows discrepancies in voter numbers that are preventing the official release of results.