Orange Party Candidate Sues EC Over Ballot Barcodes, PDPA Violation

Khaosod•Politics•1d ago

Reader Briefing

A parliamentary candidate has filed a complaint with the PDPC against the Election Commission, alleging a violation of the PDPA due to potential voter identification through election ballot barcodes.

•Prasit Pattamadunggsak, a candidate for the Orange Party, has filed a complaint with the Personal Data Protection Committee (PDPC).
•The complaint alleges that barcodes and QR codes on election ballots may allow for the identification of voters, violating the PDPA.
•The candidate is seeking technical investigation, maximum penalties, and an immediate order for the EC to suspend access to or destroy the identifying codes on ballots.
•The issue raises concerns about voter privacy and the potential for political surveillance.

Overview

•Prasit Pattamadunggsak, a candidate for the Orange Party, filed a complaint with the Personal Data Protection Committee (PDPC).
•The complaint was filed due to evidence suggesting election ballots may be used to identify voters, a violation of the PDPA.
•Ballots for party lists (pink) and constituency (green) allegedly contain barcodes and QR codes respectively, which could be linked to voter identities.
•The Election Commission is required to retain ballots and counterfoils for at least 2 years, posing a risk of large-scale data creation on Thai political preferences.
•Prasit Pattamadunggsak stated that political secrecy is vital for democracy and that the ability of the EC to know voting patterns undermines public independence.
•The complaint requests a technical investigation into the EC's TOR and ballot printing system to determine if personal identification codes exist.
•The complaint urges the PDPC to impose the highest administrative and criminal penalties if violations are found under specific PDPA articles.
•The complaint calls for an immediate order for the EC to suspend access to or permanently destroy the identifying codes on election ballots.

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Key Quotes

Prasit Pattamadunggsak

"Political secrecy is the heart of democracy. If the EC knows who voted for whom, public independence is abolished."

ความลับทางการเมืองคือหัวใจของประชาธิปไตย ถ้า กกต. รู้ว่าใครกาอะไรได้ ความเป็นอิสระของประชาชนก็หมดสิ้น

Prasit Pattamadunggsak

"I am not here to overturn the election, but to overturn the 'surveillance process' that violates the constitution and personal data protection laws."

ผมไม่ได้มาเพื่อล้มกระดานเลือกตั้ง แต่ผมมาเพื่อล้ม ‘กระบวนการสอดแนม’ ที่ขัดต่อรัฐธรรมนูญและกฎหมายคุ้มครองข้อมูลส่วนบุคคล

Key Entities

Person

Prasit Pattamadunggsak(ประสิทธิ์ ปัทมผดุงศักดิ์)

A candidate for the Orange Party (Phak Som) and MP candidate for Pathum Thani province, Constituency 8, who filed a complaint against the Election Commission.

Organization

Orange Party(พรรคส้ม)

A political party fielding Prasit Pattamadunggsak as a candidate in the election.

Election Commission (EC)(กกต.)

The official body responsible for conducting elections, accused of violating the PDPA through its handling of election ballots.

Personal Data Protection Committee (PDPC)(คณะกรรมการคุ้มครองข้อมูลส่วนบุคคล (PDPC))

The committee that received the complaint from Prasit Pattamadunggsak regarding potential PDPA violations by the EC.

Law

PDPA

The Personal Data Protection Act, which is alleged to have been violated by the Election Commission.