The Election Commission (EC) clarifies the procedures for exercising voting rights and participating in the referendum on 8 February, emphasizing that citizens must verify their identity twice. Additionally, a special referendum channel is established exclusively for those who have already cast their advance votes in the parliamentary election.
On 15 January 2026 at 11:30 a.m. at IMPACT Muang Thong Thani, Lieutenant Commander Phasakorn Siriphakayaporn, Deputy Secretary-General of the Election Commission, explained the procedures for entering the voting booth and exercising voting and referendum rights. On 8 February 2026, citizens coming to vote must verify their identity twice to receive both the election ballot and the referendum ballot. The voting process will be similar to general or local elections, starting with checking the register and receiving the parliamentary election ballot to cast the vote. After completing the parliamentary vote, the register is checked again for the referendum, the ballot is received, and the vote cast. This completes the process. Voters should allow sufficient time to prepare, as it is necessary; failure to vote in any type of election will result in legal restrictions on their rights.
Regarding whether a special channel will be set up for citizens who come only to vote in the referendum, the Deputy Secretary-General said that the polling stations will have two sections: the normal entrance and a special entrance for those who have already voted in the parliamentary election in advance but wish to participate in the referendum. In such cases, the polling station officials will facilitate access via the special channel to complete the voting process.
If a person votes in the parliamentary election in the morning of 8 February but then has urgent business and returns later in the afternoon to participate in the referendum, is that allowed? Lieutenant Commander Phasakorn said this is permitted because the parliamentary election and referendum are governed by different laws. If a voter participates in the parliamentary election and then claims urgent matters requiring them to vote in the referendum later, that is acceptable. For those who wish to vote in the referendum first and then vote in the parliamentary election, to ensure smooth procedures, people with both voting rights are advised to use the normal channel. Those who have already voted in the parliamentary election but want to vote in the referendum use the special channel to avoid confusion and ensure full exercise of their rights.
Furthermore, Lieutenant Commander Phasakorn addressed the case of journalists or influencers who want to livestream or report on the atmosphere during the election and referendum. They are not allowed to enter the polling station but may capture general scenes from outside the barriers, taking photographs from the front of the polling station. They are prohibited from photographing behind the polling station or zooming in to reveal how voters mark their ballots, as elections are conducted by secret ballot.