The Election Commission has ordered immediate legal action against a polling official in Phayao province after he impersonated eligible voters and tore up seven ballots, claiming he was hired by a political party.
On 8 Feb 2026 at 17:00, the Election Commission Office issued a statement clarifying reports about a Phayao polling official attempting election ballot fraud, stating the following facts.
The incident occurred at electoral district 1, polling station 6, Village 4, Tha Wang Thong Subdistrict, Mueang Phayao District, Phayao Province. A polling official impersonated voters and tore up seven ballots before entering the voting booth to mark ballots. As he was about to cast the ballots, the polling station chief noticed irregularities, intervened, and stopped the act immediately. As a result, the ballots were not deposited into the ballot box.
Authorities subsequently detained the individual along with the evidence and filed a complaint with the local police. The case is currently under investigation. Preliminary information indicates the accused admitted to the acts and claimed to have been hired by a person connected to a political party. This matter is under further investigation by both the Phayao Election Commission and the police to gather comprehensive evidence.
The Election Commission affirms that such actions constitute serious election law violations, and it will take firm, transparent, and fair measures to uphold election integrity and maintain voters’ trust.
At 17:00, Mrs. Panadda Chanchotyan, Director of the Phayao Election Commission Office, said that following the incident, the provincial Election Commission director dispatched an investigative team to verify facts. Initially, it was found that the female polling official violated Section 23 of the Election of Members of the House of Representatives Act, as an official committing election law violations. The provincial Election Commission will compile information to report to the central Election Commission.
Among the seized evidence were pink ballots for the party-list MP vote marked as follows: number 46 for the Prachachon Party (6 ballots) and number 1 for the Thai Sap Thawee Party (1 ballot).
Regarding the green ballots for constituency MPs: number 1 for the Thai Sap Thawee Party (3 ballots) and number 2 for the Prachachon Party (4 ballots). There were no ballots marked for the Kla Tham Party, contrary to expectations.