Bangkok: The barcode ballot dispute has taken a new turn as former Election Commissioner Somchai Srisutthiyakorn refutes the Election Commission's explanation, arguing that it risks revealing "who voted for whom." The controversy has now drawn the attention of the Constitutional Court, with its decision under intense scrutiny.

According to Thai News Agency, Somchai Srisutthiyakorn expressed his concerns on his Facebook page, "Where are you going with this nonsense - Somchai Srisutthiyakorn," challenging the Election Commission of Thailand's (ECT) clarification regarding the use of barcodes on ballots. The ECT's explanation, submitted to the Ombudsman and to be presented as evidence to the Constitutional Court, claims that the barcode is designed to prevent forgery and is used for controlling and verifying ballots during the various electoral processes. They assert that it does not compromise voter anonymity or breach the Constitution.

Somchai challenges this explanation by pointing out that the Election Commission already employs five anti-forgery measures on ballots, such as distinguishing marks, watermarks, invisible ink, tiny fonts, and photocopy prevention techniques. These existing measures, he argues, render the additional use of barcodes unnecessary.

He further criticizes the use of barcodes for controlling distribution and verifying quantities, suggesting that the barcode should only indicate production or distribution lots, or at most, the number of ballot books. Detailing down to the ballot stub and assigning a unique barcode to each ballot, he argues, is a flawed design that potentially allows tracing of voter choices.

Somchai highlights two levels of traceability due to the barcode design. The broad level, acknowledged by the Election Commission, involves a complex process requiring access to ballot papers, stubs, and voter registration lists. The narrow level, however, poses a significant risk at the local level, where campaign managers or vote buyers might identify voter choices by photographing ballots during the counting process and noting the order of votes.

The Constitutional Court is set to convene on Wednesday to decide whether to accept the case. This decision will determine the subsequent course of action, marking a crucial moment in this ongoing electoral controversy.