Dr. Warong Dejkitvigrom expressed surprise at news supporting Anutin Charnvirakul as prime minister, confirming that no one has contacted him. He views it as difficult to know who voted for whom based on the barcode on election ballots and considers the possibility of declaring the election null and void unlikely.
On 21 Feb 2026 GMT+7, Dr. Warong Dejkitvigrom, leader of the Thai Pakdee Party, told Thairath TV regarding rumors that the Thai Pakdee Party supports Anutin Charnvirakul as prime minister that he was unaware of such reports and had only seen a captured image circulated by others. He affirmed that the news was untrue.
"No one has contacted us yet; things are quiet. Our party is small and not in a rush, as there is still time. I find it strange that such news has emerged because if we were to join, there should be an official announcement," Dr. Warong said, emphasizing that even now no leader from the Bhumjaithai Party has contacted them.
Regarding the controversy over barcodes on election ballots potentially invalidating the election, Dr. Warong said he supports the court deciding but personally views it as very difficult for the system to link barcodes to actual ballots. The ballot stub boxes are secured by multiple legal protections and cannot be easily accessed. Unauthorized opening or entry would be illegal, constituting trespass and destruction of official documents. Moreover, the system separates information to prevent direct linkage.
When asked about distrust of officials, Dr. Warong distinguished between the "system" and "individual corruption." Lack of trust in any person refers to risks associated with that individual, not a fault of the overall system, which is designed to separate data to prevent problems.
Asked about former Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam's remark that "if secret, it should be secret so no one can know," Dr. Warong said that those raising concerns must provide evidence to the court proving knowledge of how people voted. He understands the election system is designed to handle potential future complaints and that, if ordered by the Constitutional Court, it must allow review of specific units or constituencies with issues.
If secrecy meant immediate destruction or inability to review data retrospectively, it could affect justice processes where courts order fact-finding. Thus, system design allowing legal access to data is justified. Those claiming to scan barcodes and link votes must publicly present evidence for credibility, but so far, no proof exists beyond hypotheses and doubts.
Dr. Warong emphasized that election nullification over this barcode issue is unlikely because the overall system operates under multiple legal protections. If violations occur, they must be addressed individually, not blamed on the entire system. He noted that many countries use similar technology, and outcomes depend on intent and strict law enforcement.