The Election Commission denies rumors that it filed charges against citizens and media photographing ballots, affirming that charges were filed against a group attempting to read barcodes on the ballots.
On 27 February 2026, amid circulating reports that the Election Commission had filed complaints with the Crime Suppression Division against citizens photographing ballots or harassing media during the general election and referendum on 22 February 2026 at Polling Station 9, Constituency 15, Khan Na Yao District, Bangkok,
the Election Commission Office issued a statement clarifying that these reports are untrue. It confirmed that individuals or media recording videos or still images of officials performing their duties, including images of voters exercising their rights, are allowed and do not violate the law, provided they do not infringe on candidates' rights, obstruct duties, or violate voters' privacy.
However, the Election Commission must take legal action against individuals who seriously violated election laws on 22 February by attempting to breach ballot secrecy. It was found that a group set up video cameras to film voters from morning until vote counting, attempting to decode or read barcodes on ballots to identify which voter cast each ballot. This behavior caused some voters to feel uneasy, leading them either to abstain or avoid voting upon seeing cameras at polling stations. Furthermore, the information was used to stir social media campaigns, aiming to undermine the secrecy of the election process, which poses a threat to national security.
The Election Commission emphasized it has never prosecuted ordinary citizens acting in good faith to monitor elections. However, incidents in Chonburi Province Constituency 1 and the recent case involved groups with dishonest intent and organized plans. Therefore, legal action is necessary to uphold election integrity and protect the democratic principle of direct and secret voting.