Civil society groups organized a symbolic event to conduct a mock referendum titled “Do you approve the removal of the Election Commission?” to gauge public opinion. At the Pathumwan Skywalk, people gradually joined enthusiastically and issued a statement calling for the Election Commission to take responsibility after the election raised constitutional concerns.
On 15 Feb 2026 GMT+7, reporters noted that civil society groups, including student and public representatives, organized an activity to hold a mock referendum aimed at removing the Election Commission members. The event took place at the Pathumwan Skywalk near the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, starting from 17:00 onwards.
Before the event began, from 16:00, some protesters started arriving to join, mostly gathering and sitting near the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre's main assembly point. Journalists also arrived gradually to cover the event.
Meanwhile, about 50 police officers from Pathumwan Police Station, riot control units, female officers, and the EOD team, along with K-9 dogs, were deployed around the area to maintain security and check for abnormalities before the event, aiming to prevent any danger or provocations from third parties.
At 16:20, protesters began bringing equipment for the event, including speakers, a platform for speeches, and mock referendum materials such as booths, tables, pens, paper, ballot boxes, and ballot counting baskets, simulating the election and referendum procedures of the Election Commission in this symbolic civil society activity.
Today's gathering centered on conducting a mock referendum with the question: “Do you approve the removal of the Election Commission members from office?” The protesters intended this symbolic event to parody the election and referendum processes, highlighting concerns about the lack of transparency and integrity in the February 8 election conducted by the Election Commission.
At 17:00, the event officially opened, with protesters and citizens lining up to participate in the mock referendum. Some brought signs criticizing the Election Commission’s work to display during the event. A statement expressing the protesters' position was planned for reading around 20:00 before the event concluded before 21:00.
The civil society statement, representing student groups from various institutions, primarily criticized the Election Commission’s handling of the February 8 election, stating:
Following the February 8, 2026 election and referendum, overwhelming evidence shows that the election lacked transparency, honesty, and fairness, severely undermining public confidence in the Election Commission. When citizens demanded the Commission protect their votes,
the Election Commission failed to respond, especially to those gathered at Saen Suk municipal badminton court in Chonburi’s constituency 1, calling for a recount amid suspicious irregularities, including counting errors, unsecured ballot boxes, and discarded ballot forms found in the trash. The Commission dismissed these concerns, citing insufficient evidence.
The public should know the Election Commission did not respect or honor voters’ ballots throughout the counting process, ballot box management, ballot form handling, and printing of barcodes and QR codes on ballots, potentially compromising election secrecy and seriously violating the constitution. These disastrous issues reveal that even a nationwide recount may not guarantee transparency or fairness. Therefore, we demand the Election Commission to take responsibility and compensate for their duty failures that directly impact the sovereign people.
Certainly, seeking accountability and compensation from the Election Commission under the 2017 Constitution is challenging, as it does not grant citizens the right to petition for their removal. We therefore invite all citizens, university students, civil society organizations, and political parties to speak out, protest, and organize activities nationwide to collectively affirm that “The Election Commission must be held accountable” for the grave misconduct revealed in this election, in faith with the will of the sovereign people.
