The Ombudsman revealed that 28 complaints have been filed by the public against the Election Commission regarding problems in the 2026 election. Eighteen of these cases have been sent to the Constitutional Court for a final decision. The Ombudsman stressed the need to give the Election Commission an opportunity to explain for fairness and emphasized that anyone found at fault will be held accountable according to the law.
At 11:00 a.m. on 19 Feb 2026 GMT+7 Police General Sarayut Sanguanphokhai, the Ombudsman, revealed at the Ombudsman's office the progress in reviewing petitions from various public groups who requested the Ombudsman to submit cases to the Constitutional Court for ruling on whether the Barcode and QR Code on ballot papers violate the constitution and on the legality of election management by the Election Commission (EC). Currently, the Ombudsman has received a total of 28 such complaints from the public and is reviewing all of them.
The review process separates the complaints into two main issues. The first concerns alleged violations of voters' rights, specifically claims that voting was not conducted in secrecy, with 18 complaints received. The Ombudsman must seek facts from both the complainants and the Election Commission as the respondent, then decide based on evidence whether the complaints warrant referral to the Constitutional Court. This process must be completed within 60 days. In this regard, the Ombudsman has sent a letter to the Election Commission requesting a response within 7 days to ensure fairness by giving the EC a chance to explain. If the Election Commission fails to respond or cannot provide an explanation, the Ombudsman may use discretion to consider only the complainants' side and proceed to forward the matter to the Constitutional Court for final ruling.
The second issue involves complaints regarding the Election Commission's management of the election, including the conduct of EC officials and the duties of polling station committee members, alleging illegality or noncompliance with laws. There are 10 such complaints. The Ombudsman has direct authority to rule on these cases under laws empowering the Ombudsman to oversee public officials' compliance with the law. However, no specific deadline applies; the review speed depends on the completeness of the complaints and evidence.
"I confirm that the Ombudsman is not neglecting these matters. We review every complaint submitted by the public because their grievances cannot be delayed. However, the review process must be fair to all parties and comply with legal provisions. Decisions cannot be based on feelings; the criteria must follow the rule of law, considering both legal provisions and facts. Whoever is at fault will be held accountable. It is not necessary to trust us blindly, but to observe whether our actions are consistent and principled."