The Election Commission (EC) announced its readiness to investigate the unauthorized recount at a Pathum Thani unit, urging an impartial perspective and careful consumption of social media. It emphasized that the EC adheres to legal principles and that the authority to order a vote recount lies exclusively with the full EC panel.
On 10 Feb 2026 GMT+7 at the Election Commission office, reporters asked Lt. Col. Phaskorn Siriphakdyaporn, Deputy Secretary-General of the EC, about why Pathum Thani Constituency 7 was able to recount votes immediately while Chonburi Constituency 1 had to wait for the full EC panel's consideration. He said this is concerning because the authority to order a recount belongs solely to the full EC panel; no one else can authorize it. The Pathum Thani case involved bypassing legal procedures. The office has gathered facts and reported them to the EC board for review. He stressed that the recount process cannot be done arbitrarily. He requested media to present the Pathum Thani Constituency 7 recount news accurately, correcting reports claiming the first count favored one candidate and the second count favored another with major score changes. This is untrue; results remain mostly unchanged with only minor variations of 1-2 votes due to ballot evaluations by the committee concerning spoiled ballots, etc. These small differences did not alter the election results at the polling station. Claims that the recount changed the winning party are false. He urged clear communication based on facts to prevent baseless social media posts, emphasizing that the process includes verification and rechecking at every step. He asked for mutual understanding.
“The most complete stage is the official election result announcement, known as Form MP6/1. This is after thorough verification and is signed by the EC officials of the respective electoral district, constituting the official announcement. It’s important to understand this because preliminary results might contain errors. The process involves sub-district committees screening and verifying the data before confirming its accuracy. Again, no one can alter the results; all results are publicly posted at every polling station. No one can act arbitrarily; everything is bound by law. The EC affirms its commitment to fairness for all parties and will investigate any suspicious or unclear cases. For example, in Maha Sarakham Province, there was a discrepancy in scores, but this was not due to errors at polling stations where results were consistent. The error occurred during the aggregation phase when posting results at the district office, where one unit’s results were missing. Upon discovery, corrections were made. No one can change the results since they are posted at every polling station. Please have confidence in this matter,” Lt. Col. Phaskorn said.
Regarding unofficial result issues causing pressure on EC officials at various units, several election officials have voiced concerns that the EC has not protected them, leading to social media harassment. Lt. Col. Phaskorn stated that protection is indeed provided, as the EC Secretary-General and the commission care deeply about the officials’ duties regardless of their unit. If mistakes occur, the EC does not deny responsibility or shift blame to officials. However, facts must be considered: election officials are public officers under the Criminal Code, protected by law when acting properly. If they act improperly, they are accountable. The EC affirms it will protect all units.
“I want people to look at this election impartially. This election includes 57 political parties with diverse candidates and varied voter preferences—some voters may be satisfied, others not. But please view the process with an open mind: over a hundred thousand polling units used massive personnel under legal principles. No matter who the election official is, no one can act beyond the law’s clear boundaries or violate it. There is no need to worry on this point. The EC office will consider all observations carefully,” Lt. Col. Phaskorn said.
Regarding the case in Phayao where an official secretly cast a ballot and denied all allegations, Lt. Col. Phaskorn explained that officials had prepared ballots in two sets of seven each by tearing them apart to be cast later. Before ballots were dropped into the box, another official noticed and detained the individual, who was then handed over to investigators. This is a legal process that must proceed. No ballots had been cast yet.
The authority to order a vote recount lies exclusively with the full EC panel.
When asked why Lt. Pol. Chanin Noilek, Deputy Secretary-General of the EC, who visited Chonburi to inspect issues, did not order a recount and why such matters must go to the full EC meeting, Lt. Col. Phaskorn said, as previously stated, everything follows legal provisions. The law states that if such cases arise, each step must be considered before ordering a recount, and the authority lies solely with the full EC panel. Otherwise, any province could have a deputy secretary-general arbitrarily order a recount, which is not permissible. Moreover, the EC must review facts and reasons before calling a new election.
When asked if he had a message for citizens gathering at polling stations or ballot storage sites seeking clarity, Lt. Col. Phaskorn requested public cooperation. He said the election follows legal regulations; anything improper can be challenged through legal procedures. However, dissatisfaction alone does not justify demanding a recount arbitrarily. There must be a defect or objection at a specific unit, which must be reported. He believes all cases entering the EC process will be treated fairly and thoroughly considered.