The Election Commission has issued regulations on government vehicle use to assist referendum voters, effective today. It emphasizes that government agencies and the Election Commission are prohibited from incentivizing or controlling voters to vote in any particular way or to abstain.
On 3 February 2026, the Royal Gazette website published the Election Commission's Regulations on the Use of Vehicles by Government Agencies to Facilitate Referendum Voters, B.E. 2569 (2026). Signed by Mr. Narong Khanvarin, Chairman of the Election Commission, announced on 29 January 2026, with the following content.
As it is appropriate to have regulations by the Election Commission concerning the use of vehicles by government agencies to facilitate referendum voters, to align with the Referendum Act B.E. 2564 (2021) and its amendments, and under the authority of Section 22 of the Organic Act on the Election Commission B.E. 2560 (2017), Sections 5, 6, and 78 of the Referendum Act B.E. 2564 (2021) and its amendments, the Election Commission hereby issues these regulations as follows.
Section 1: This regulation shall be called "Election Commission Regulation on the Use of Vehicles by Government Agencies to Facilitate Referendum Voters, B.E. 2569 (2026)."
Section 2: This regulation shall come into force from the day following its publication in the Royal Gazette (4 February 2026).
Section 3: In this regulation,
"Commission" means the Election Commission under the Organic Act on the Election Commission.
"Government agency" means ministries, bureaus, departments, provincial and local government agencies, state enterprises, and other state agencies.
"Office" means the Office of the Election Commission under the Organic Act on the Election Commission.
"Provincial Election Commission Office" includes the Bangkok Metropolitan Election Commission Office.
"Voter" means a person eligible to vote in the referendum.
"Voting day" means the date designated for the referendum voting.
"Provincial Election Director" includes the Election Director of Bangkok Metropolitan as well.
Section 4: Before or on the voting day, as the case may be, any government agency wishing to arrange vehicles to facilitate voters must notify the Provincial Election Director before proceeding, providing details such as vehicle types and numbers, usage duration, and responsible staff for vehicle supervision.
The Office or Provincial Election Commission Office may arrange vehicles to assist voters.
Notification under the first paragraph may be sent by email to the Provincial Election Commission Office, as appropriate.
Section 5: Government agencies, the Office, or Provincial Election Commission Offices arranging vehicles under these regulations must clearly display signs on the vehicles indicating the responsible agency and that the vehicles are for transporting referendum voters.
Section 6: Government agencies, the Office, or Provincial Election Commission Offices arranging vehicles under these regulations are prohibited from any action to incentivize or control voters to vote in any particular way or to abstain from voting.
Section 7: The Chairman of the Election Commission shall be responsible for enforcing these regulations. In cases not specified or in necessary situations, the Commission may prescribe, exempt, or relax compliance with these regulations.