The first batch of overseas ballots is gradually being sent back to Thailand. The Department of Consular Affairs praises the strong response from Thai citizens abroad, reflecting their deep connection to their homeland and demonstrating their active participation in democracy.
On 26 January 2026, the Office of the Election Commission of Thailand (ECT) revealed that during the management of overseas elections and overseas referendum voting, which started on 19 January and runs through 30 January 2026, under the authority of ambassadors, consuls-general, and trade representatives in each country, some countries have completed voting, others are still in progress, and many embassies have received ballots and referendum voting papers but are in the process of sorting them by type. These ballots are being gradually sent back to Thailand for the ECT and Thailand Post to distribute to respective polling stations.
On 23 January (local time), the Consulate-General in Los Angeles posted a clip showing officials loading Thai ballots into diplomatic mail bags for transport to the airport. They announced that the first batch of 1,981 envelopes was sent by air back to Thailand. They also informed eligible voters to report any reasons they cannot vote in the elections or referendum seven days before or after voting via an online system, warning that failure to report would lead to political rights restrictions.
Meanwhile, the Royal Thai Embassy in Stockholm, Sweden, reported progress on the election of Members of Parliament and referendum voting on 24 January 2026 at the embassy. Of 361 registered voters, 240 (66.48%) voted in person, and 197 of 252 registered for the referendum (78%) voted. The process was transparent, with observers closely monitoring the proceedings, and influencers attended to record the atmosphere. Postal voters were advised to send back their documents by 28 January 2026 at 12:00 noon Swedish time so the embassy could sort the ballots before sending them back to Thailand.
Similarly, the Consulate-General in Shanghai announced that overseas elections and referendum voting had concluded. The consulate received 640 ballots each for constituency and party list types, with 504 voters requesting ballots; 136 ballots of each type remained unused. For the referendum, 480 ballots were received with 353 collected by voters, leaving 127 unused.
The Royal Thai Embassy in Rome, Italy, which opened voting for registered Thai residents from 19 January onward, reported receiving election and referendum ballots. These are currently being sorted by province and electoral district before being sent back to Thailand. Voters were asked to return their documents to the embassy by 27 January for shipment to Thailand. The overseas referendum votes will be counted at the embassy on 9 February 2026.
The Department of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, posted on its Facebook page that the atmosphere of overseas voting by Thais living in many countries worldwide has been lively and orderly. Embassies, consulates-general, and trade offices reported this reflects the awakening and awareness of civic duty among Thais abroad, including students, workers, and families, emphasizing their commitment to democratic participation.
Election officials at overseas polling stations have provided full support, from verifying voter lists and guiding voting procedures to maintaining order at polling sites to ensure honest, transparent, and efficient voting. This election demonstrates the strength of Thai citizens worldwide who remain connected to their homeland and are eager to actively participate in the country's democratic processes.