The Election Commission chairman reiterated that during early voting on 1 February, selling, distributing, or giving away alcoholic beverages is prohibited. Meanwhile, overseas ballots have begun arriving in the country and are currently being sorted. Although some countries are delayed, the Commission believes there will be no issues.
On 30 January 2026 at 16:30 at Lido Connect, Siam Square, Mr. Narong Khanvarin, Chairman of the Election Commission, announced the readiness for early voting on 1 February. The Election Commission Office has fully prepared polling stations and encourages the public to vote at their registered stations. The Commission also prohibits the sale, distribution, or gifting of alcoholic beverages from 18:00 on 31 January until 18:00 on 1 February.
Regarding overseas voting, ballots have been gradually sent back to Thailand since 25 January, though sorting has not yet begun. It is expected that more countries will continue to send ballots. The Commission is confident there will be no problems as all embassies are monitoring the situation closely.
In cases where some voters in certain countries have not yet received some types of ballots, the Commission has coordinated with embassies to resolve this by extending the delivery period. They are confident the ballots will be returned in time and do not anticipate any issues.
Concerning complaints about vote buying, Mr. Narong said the Commission has consistently emphasized this issue. They are prepared to manage the election and have campaigned for voters to protect their rights. If vote buying is reported in any area, the Commission will promptly investigate. So far, around 60 complaints have been received, mostly about deceptive or improper campaigning. There have been some cases of vote buying, but not many.