The Election Commission invites Thais living abroad to participate in overseas voting for the election and referendum from 19 to 30 January, and shares the procedures for returning ballots to Thailand for counting.
On 19 January 2026, the Election Commission Office joined forces with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thailand Post Company Limited, and the Royal Thai Police to prepare for the election of members of the House of Representatives (MPs) and the referendum voting held outside the kingdom. , Eligible voters abroad are allowed to exercise their voting rights between 19 and 30 January 2026.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through the Department of Consular Affairs, embassies, and consulates-general worldwide, as well as Thai trade and economic offices, has prepared venues, personnel, and facilitation to ensure Thais abroad can exercise their voting rights and participate in the referendum according to their registered method: polling station, mobile polling unit, or by mail.
After voters have cast their ballots for the parliamentary election and referendum outside the kingdom, the following steps will be taken:
1. Parliamentary election ballots cast abroad will be sent back to Thailand for counting. Through cooperation among the Election Commission Office, Department of Consular Affairs, Thailand Post Company Limited, and the Royal Thai Police, these ballots will be delivered to the election commission offices in each of the 400 electoral districts (corresponding to the voters' districts) to be counted on 8 February 2026.
2. Referendum ballots cast outside the kingdom will be counted abroad at embassies, consulates-general, or designated locations. Counting will begin when voting closes according to Thai time (from 8 February 2026, 17:00 onwards) and will be completed within 48 hours.
The Election Commission Office, Department of Consular Affairs, Thailand Post Company Limited, and the Royal Thai Police have established a system for transporting parliamentary election ballots from abroad to the 400 electoral district election offices to ensure counting on 8 February 2026 complies with legal deadlines.
However, the Election Commission encourages eligible overseas voters to follow the voting procedures and schedules communicated by the embassy or consulate-general in their residing area.