Bangkok: "Saeng," the president of the Election Commission of Thailand (ECT), has expressed confidence that the forthcoming February 8th election will not experience the same issues that plagued the advance voting process. The initial phase of voting, held on February 1st, was marred by problems with improperly addressed ballot envelopes. Saeng assured the public that all allegations of errors are actively being investigated and no incomplete ballot envelopes have been discovered thus far. He emphasized the importance of readiness among provincial ECT offices and the posting of candidate documents at polling stations to foster confidence among voters.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Saeng Boonmee, Secretary-General of the Election Commission, discussed the preparedness for the upcoming general election and referendum, highlighting the importance of public confidence in the electoral process. He reassured that both the system and the candidates would operate within an established framework, supported by a robust refereeing process. The voting format on February 8th will address the challenges faced during the advance voting, where voters from 400 constituencies gathered at centralized locations, some accommodating up to 60,000 individuals. Ballot papers will now be placed in correctly addressed envelopes to avoid past mistakes.
Saeng noted that the issues from the advance voting will not recur on February 8th, as each polling station is set to handle an average of 500 voters, spread across 100,000 stations nationwide. He expressed confidence that the election will proceed without the problems observed during the advance voting phase.
Mr. Saeng downplayed the significance of the February 1st voting issues, explaining that all errors had been thoroughly investigated. A letter from the People's Party raised concerns about missing candidate introduction documents in Chonburi province and potential misaddressed envelopes. In response, the ECT has been investigating news reports and allegations to clarify the situation. Officials have been tasked with gathering information from polling station incident reports to determine any additional occurrences.
During the investigation of the February 1st incidents, Saeng acknowledged public attention on errors related to envelope addressing and incorrect candidate lists posted at polling stations. However, these issues were primarily reported in Chonburi province. The ECT is gathering information on other incidents reported by political parties and is instructing provincial offices to submit detailed incident logs from each station.
The Election Commission originally designed ballot envelopes without district codes, assuming province and district information would suffice for delivery. However, the postal service suggested adding district codes, a detail not disclosed to the public. Saeng reiterated that province and district information is adequate for delivery, and any discrepancies must be addressed by eligible voters. Post-election checks ensure all envelopes contain complete information, with no incomplete envelopes reported thus far.
Saeng instructed provincial ECT directors to report back on potential controversies. He emphasized that these issues do not impact the election's core integrity. While candidate lists at polling stations are one information channel, voters can also access details via the Smart Vote app, household notices, and ECT websites. To ensure transparency, Saeng instructed polling stations to post candidate lists during setup, with officials ready to rectify any issues promptly.