Activists Call for Full Disclosure of Vote Count After Thailand Election Disputes

Activists Call for Full Disclosure of Vote Count After Thailand Election Disputes

BANGKOK, Feb 16, 2026 — Civil society groups on Monday called for Thailand’s Election Commission to resign and fully disclose details of the vote-counting process following alleged irregularities in the recent general election.

Representatives from 36 organisations, led by the We Watch youth election observation network, gathered outside the commission’s headquarters at about 10 a.m. to submit and sign a joint statement demanding accountability over the management of the 2026 House election.

The groups urged the commission to release comprehensive information covering every stage of the counting process and to clarify outstanding questions so the public could verify the results.

Thailand’s acting Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul dissolved the House of Representatives on Dec. 11, 2025, paving the way for advance voting on Feb. 1 and nationwide polling on Feb. 8.

While describing elections as a core democratic mechanism, the groups said the commission’s handling of the vote had been marked by errors and irregularities that undermined integrity and fairness.

Among the concerns cited were the rapid removal of vote-count documents from polling stations instead of leaving them available for public inspection, discrepancies between ballot numbers, vote totals and turnout figures reported in several provinces, and limits on access for citizens and observers to monitor counting procedures.

The groups said the situation had triggered calls for investigations and recounts in multiple areas and eroded public confidence in the commission, which they accused of failing to adequately address public concerns.

They argued that the independence of an election management body must be matched by public accountability and said resignation would demonstrate responsibility for the alleged shortcomings.