The Election Commission is enforcing strict controls across all regions to prevent vote-buying, partnering with Meta/Facebook to regulate online campaigning, and confirming that tracing defamatory online posts is definitely possible.
On 19 Jan 2026 GMT+7, Mr. Sa-wang Boonmee, secretary-general of the Election Commission, clarified that the report from the Private Sector Network on Election Observation stating vote-buying at 7,500 baht per vote is merely an academic estimate or a power game narrative. He affirmed that the Election Commission is aware of the intelligence information and is ready to take proactive measures to ensure money does not influence the outcome of the 8 Feb 2026 GMT+7 election.
The secretary-general stated that he has ordered rapid response units and intelligence teams to coordinate with local authorities to monitor movements in areas expected to have intense competition or red zones nationwide. This applies to anyone—candidates, citizens, or even Election Commission officials—who violate election laws, who will face strict legal action. The Election Commission aims for this election to gain international recognition, focusing on the quality of votes based on policies rather than other factors, and believes voter turnout will exceed the previous election.
Additionally, the Election Commission has partnered with executives from Meta and Facebook Thailand to conduct online training for political parties and House of Representatives candidates. This training covers advertising standards and electronic campaigning regulations, following receipt of 34 complaints and 5 video clips involving defamatory campaigning and false information, which are currently under analysis to determine legal or regulatory violations.
Mr. Sa-wang confirmed that if offenders register or post content within Thailand, authorities can definitely trace and prosecute them, even if using avatar accounts. Coordination with the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society and cyber police is underway to swiftly remove illegal content.