The Election Commission (EC) has decided not to order a new vote count for Chonburi Constituency 1. It affirmed that it is not complacent and has mandated investigations covering all aspects. It noted that the complainants did not personally witness the events and emphasized that over 160 polling stations reported no objections to the vote counting.
At 17:20 on 12 Feb 2026, Mr. Narong Klanwarin, Chairman of the Election Commission, Mr. Saweang Bunmee, Secretary-General of the Election Commission, along with Mr. Kanchit Charoen-in, Deputy Secretary-General, and Lt. Phaskorn Siriphakayaporn, Deputy Secretary-General, held a press conference on the parliamentary and referendum elections at the Election Commission office, 2nd floor.
Lt. Phaskorn explained regarding Chonburi that after vote counting was completed, some members of the public came to observe at the ballot consolidation area in the gymnasium of Constituency 1. During this ballot consolidation phase, misunderstandings arose, prompting a request for a recount. To ensure fairness and correctness, the EC assigned Mr. Kanchit to oversee the process, investigate the facts, and advise whether a recount was warranted under the law.
Regarding the investigation process, Mr. Kanchit added the following: He was tasked to verify the facts concerning the recount request for Chonburi Constituency 1. The investigation confirmed that while there was a public gathering, only 10 individuals filed the complaint. The complaint raised three main issues. Of the 10, six gave statements, all stating they did not witness the events personally.
Issue 1 concerned a power outage at the polling station. The complainants cited a clip showing a power outage but fans still running, which actually occurred in Nonthaburi province, not Chonburi. The EC further checked with the Provincial Electricity Authority Bangsaen branch and confirmed four polling stations (units 36, 37, 38, and 39 in Saensuk subdistrict) experienced outages lasting 40 minutes. Only unit 36 had incomplete counting at the time, so counting was paused until power returned, with no objections. Units 37-39 completed counting before the outage.
Issue 2 involved discrepancies between voters and ballots and slow counting. The complaint stated counting took three hours. The EC investigated polling units 11-15, which showed similar timing with no irregularities. Counting ended around 19:00-20:00, and ballot boxes were delivered by midnight, consistent with standard procedures and no anomalies.
Issue 3 alleged incorrect reading of ballots. The complainants did not specify locations. The EC reviewed all over 160 polling units and found no objections raised regarding vote counting, thus confirming the counting was conducted correctly.
Regarding why ballot boxes lacked security seals and why tally sheets were found in trash bins, the investigation clarified that originally, ballot boxes were to be taken to the community hall, but due to limited space, the district director and EC district office used the municipal badminton gym for easier vehicle access to consolidate ballot boxes before transfer. The intent was convenience. The boxes would be moved to the community hall before being sent to the rented EC Chonburi warehouse where all districts consolidate ballots.
During consolidation, about 90% was complete, with 10% of documents still at the badminton gym. When preparing to move, a large crowd arrived to verify official procedures and blocked vehicle movement. The crowd entered the gym and saw documents still being organized, not discarded. The gym contained no trash bins, only documents awaiting clearance. Therefore, the documents were stored there, not thrown away.
Regarding the absence of security seals: the distance from the gym to the community hall is about 500 meters. The district director and EC district requested to use municipal facilities until 9 Feb. The municipality pressed for completion by that date, necessitating expedited removal. Seals were intended to be applied at the community hall. Unused seals from polling units were kept for contingency. After packing documents into ballot boxes, seals were cut off and collected in bags during consolidation.
After reviewing all facts, it was concluded there is no credible evidence indicating the Chonburi Constituency 1 election was conducted unfairly or that vote counting was incorrect. Therefore, there is no basis to order a new vote count under Section 124 of the Organic Act on the Election of Members of the House of Representatives and Article 223 of the EC regulations. The case should be closed.
The EC Chairman added that when issues arise, the EC convenes immediately and does not remain complacent. However, decisions require sufficient information. Hence, investigators were assigned two days to gather facts from both complainants and officials or witnesses. The EC weighed evidence carefully, similar to judicial reasoning, assessing the connection of witness testimony. Three main issues were examined per the complaint, and the EC also investigated the integrity and fairness of vote counting. The EC members spent 4-5 hours reviewing all points.
"We affirm that the EC will not risk its honor or reputation on such matters unnecessarily. We confirm that besides examining the complaint, we also verified the integrity of vote counting and aggregation. We have addressed all points raised in the news. We are concerned that some may perceive a lack of scrutiny, but we have thoroughly examined every dimension because this matter is important," he said.
Finally, Lt. Phaskorn concluded that the election in Chonburi Constituency 1 does not warrant a new election order under Section 124 of the Organic Act on the Election of Members of the House of Representatives.