Bangkok: Somchai Srisutthiyakorn, a former Election Commissioner, has raised concerns over the Election Commission's (EC) indecision regarding the use of old or new ballot papers for the re-election in three polling units. The ongoing debate centers on whether to employ "old style ballot papers" with barcodes/QR codes or print new ballots without such identifiers.

According to Thai News Agency, the Election Commission has been engaged in extensive discussions but has yet to reach a verdict on the ballot issue. Somchai expressed his skepticism through a Facebook post, highlighting the complexity of the situation, which he described as a choice between two difficult options.

The use of coded ballots has incited fears of potential election manipulation, likened to a "Conan-style campaign" that could spread across polling stations in Bangkok, Nan, and Udon Thani. The concern is that the codes on the ballots could reveal voter identities, thus compromising the secrecy of the vote.

While some argue that the election process remains constitutionally secure, the notion has faced challenges, particularly given the ability of a hundred teams to solve the ballot mystery, with one team successfully hacking it. The situation has led to doubts about the Constitutional Court's intervention, as the current evidence suggests voter anonymity may indeed be at risk.

Alternatively, the proposal to print new ballots for the upcoming election on February 22, 2026, has faced criticism for conceding flaws in the existing ballots. This move might reinforce suspicions that the codes can be traced back to individual voters, thereby necessitating a change to maintain electoral integrity.