Bangkok: The Election Commission of Thailand (ECT), on March 1st, issued a stern reminder to political parties and parliamentary candidates contesting in the 400 constituencies to submit their election expense reports within 90 days following the final election day, which is May 11th.
According to Thai News Agency, the ECT emphasized that both constituency candidates and political parties that fielded party-list candidates in the general election on February 8, 2026, need to prepare detailed accounts of their election expenditures. The commission has stipulated expenditure limits, with constituency candidates restricted to a maximum of 1,900,000 baht and political parties fielding party-list candidates limited to 44,000,000 baht. These expenses are to be calculated from the dissolution of parliament on December 12, 2025, through election day on February 8, 2026, and must be categorized into specific segments.
The categories encompass a wide range of campaign-related expenses, including election candidacy fees, labor costs for campaign activities, fees for campaign materials, advertising costs across various media platforms, and electronic campaigning expenses. Additional categories include costs for venue rentals, vehicle and travel-related expenses, utility bills, food and beverage costs for campaign staff, training expenses, and any other lawful election-related expenditures.
Candidates running for Member of Parliament in constituency-based elections are required to submit a comprehensive and accurate account of their election income and expenses, along with supporting evidence, to the Director of the Provincial Election Commission Office or the Bangkok Metropolitan Election Commission Office. This submission can be made in person or through an authorized representative. Similarly, political parties must have their leaders submit detailed accounts to the Secretary-General of the Election Commission, with the option of delegating this task to an authorized individual.
The deadline for these submissions, initially set for Saturday, May 9, 2026, has been extended to Monday, May 11, 2026, due to the public holiday on the original date. Once received, the Provincial and Bangkok Election Commissions will verify the documentation to ensure all expenses are necessary and supported by valid evidence. Any discrepancies or incomplete submissions will require rectification within the legally prescribed timeframe. Additionally, a summary report of each MP candidate's income and expenses will be made publicly available within 30 days of the submission deadline, no later than June 10, 2026.