The issue quickly became a drama after someone commented asking Oon Chanisara or Oon Diamond Grains the famous businesswoman and influencer, owner of the hit song "Hermionong (Hermionong)," "Did you vote, Oon? I saw you were in America and just remembered." Oon replied frankly, "This year was the first time I couldn’t return on time due to sudden travel plan changes. Luckily, the district's results came out neutral."
Then another person wrote, "You could have voted early." Oon responded, "The country changed everything throughout January and February; it wasn’t the same as before." Many people commented extensively, especially disagreeing with her phrase "luckily the district's results came out neutral," which some found inappropriate.
Recently, Oon posted a statement explaining why she missed voting, saying, "We understand everyone's anger about me not returning to vote. Usually, flying back and forth isn’t a problem for me, but on that day, there was a reason I couldn’t fly, which I still cannot explain now. If you don’t understand, that’s okay, but I did my best at the time. I still believe in the importance of voting and that every vote always matters."
She added in a comment, "Many say I have no right to call out or speak... In a democracy, people who have legitimate reasons for missing election day can still raise their voices, call out, and support their preferred political parties."
"As taxpayers who don't evade taxes, we have every right. The reasons for not voting differ. If it were just normal, I would have flown back to vote. Necessity is necessity. You can think whatever you want but don’t judge or impose new rules on others' rights. PS: I have already notified the legitimate reason for not voting."
Many followers commented extensively, dividing opinions into two camps: those who understood her reasons and those who found her excuses illogical, such as
- "You demand so much, but when given the chance, you don’t take action (i.e., vote). That’s hypocrisy. And it started with you. Very strange."
- "The social backlash isn’t just about inconvenience but because of 1. The orange heart (symbolism) and 2. Saying ‘the results were neutral.’ You really shouldn’t say that. It means you didn’t fulfill your duty but got the result you wanted. If 100 people thought like you, no one would need to vote because even without me, the win is assured. That’s why you’re criticized more for your words than for not voting."
- "Everything always has a reason. Hugs, sis."
- "It’s not a right; it’s a duty."
- "Only influencers comment to support each other. Those people aren’t affected, even though their fan bases are mostly middle and working-class people who want change in their country. One voice might not change much, but if people read your post and think the same, and then in four years they don’t vote, that’s the problem. The results remain neutral. The grassroots won’t be affected anyway. Keep fighting. Keep making it neutral. Yay."
- "While everyone calls for democracy, they can’t even respect others' rights to act. This is a kind of despair. Not voting this time doesn’t revoke Thai citizenship. If you notify your reason and something abnormal happens, people who didn’t vote can still complain or petition as Thai citizens. Missing one election means voting again in four, eight, or ten years. Everyone should stay calm."
- "Drama over something this small? There are nearly 100 million people in the country. Besides, she already said she had a necessary reason for missing the vote, not that she didn’t want to go. lol. I feel sorry for Oon."
- "Not disappointed because I don’t expect much, but surprised. She talks about corruption and MPs all the time. I hope she explains as soon as possible. I really want to know what happened. Oon is a public figure with many fans. If she’s 'too busy' to vote both rounds, that’s quite concerning for me."
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