Bangkok: 'Wissanu' indicated that the issue of the barcode on the election ballot depends on the Constitutional Court's interpretation. If it is deemed not secret, the election must be voided and a new election must be held. He emphasized that the entire Election Commission must take responsibility, but there is an open possibility that the barcode is secret only during the voting process.

According to Thai News Agency, former Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam addressed the issue of barcodes on ballot papers, questioning whether their ability to trace back to the original voter could compromise the secrecy of the ballot and violate the Constitution. He stated that he was unsure if such barcodes could identify voters. If they could, it would not be considered secrecy. If the Constitutional Court deems the barcodes invalid, the election would be invalid, requiring a new election. He suggested the court would likely test this by examining a single ballot, comparing the barcode to the original voter registration slip and voter lists. If this were possible, it would indicate a lack of secrecy, necessitating a new election, as has happened before.

However, the court might rule differently, which Wissanu did not "predict" definitively. They might interpret the term "secret" to mean the act of casting a ballot, where no one can see it, unlike the 2006 election where voters turned their backs to each other, allowing others to peek at the ballot. Therefore, if the act of casting the ballot this time is considered secret, then it could be interpreted in this way. It depends on the Constitutional Court's ruling, as this is a legal issue where the court will interpret the word "secret"-what does it mean-while casting the ballot, or whether no one knows, at any time?

Regarding who should be held responsible if a problem arises, Wissanu stated that the entire Election Commission is responsible, not the officials, because the fault lies with the ballots.

Regarding the possibility of a re-election ordered by the Election Commission, Wissanu said he was unaware of the Commission's decision. However, if new ballots are printed, they would differ from the previous election. This presents a dilemma for the Commission. Using new ballots would implicitly acknowledge the problematic system, while using the old system would be a clear indication of its flaws. Using the old system, however, could lead to further investigation and links to the original ballots, which would determine whether the election remains secret or not.