Bangkok: The Election Commission of Thailand (ECT) has announced its readiness for the upcoming general election and referendum scheduled for February 8, emphasizing to voters the importance of avoiding votes for disqualified parliamentary candidates.
According to Thai News Agency, the ECT held a press conference on February 7 to outline preparations for the simultaneous general election and referendum. Sub-Lieutenant Phasakon Siriphakayaporn, Deputy Secretary-General of the Election Commission, highlighted the importance of voters checking their names and preparing necessary identification documents such as national ID cards, driver's licenses, or other government-issued documents to ensure a smooth voting process. He stressed that marking a ballot for disqualified candidates would result in a spoiled vote.
The Election Commission has coordinated with provincial bodies to announce disqualified candidates at polling stations and to cross out their names on ballot papers. The Supreme Court has disqualified 18 candidates in constituency-based elections and removed 31 candidates from the party-list proportional representation system. However, voters can still cast their votes for parties, as the removal of candidates will not impact the party voting process.
The ECT clarified voting protocols, stating that those registered for advance voting on February 1 who did not cast their vote would be ineligible to vote on February 8 at the same polling station but could still participate in the referendum. Additionally, polling stations for the general election and referendum remain unchanged unless voters had registered for advance voting outside their district.
The ECT also reminded the public of the prohibition on alcohol sales and distribution from 6:00 PM on February 7 until 6:00 PM on election day. Violations of this regulation are punishable by law. Political parties and candidates were reminded of the ban on campaigning after 6:00 PM on February 7 to ensure a fair election process.
The constituency MP candidates disqualified by the court include representatives from various parties, such as the Kla Tham Party, Pheua Thai Party, Palang Pracharath Party, and others, totaling 18 candidates. The ECT's efforts aim to ensure a transparent and efficient electoral process in this historic event with 99,538 polling stations and approximately 52 million eligible voters.