Which Football Jerseys Are Allowed at the Bangkok Governor Election?

Is it allowed to wear a football jersey when going to vote in the Bangkok governor election? And which types of football jerseys can be worn inside the polling booth if you need to wear your favorite jersey afterward to run errands?

On 27 May 2026, following the last parliamentary election, a controversy arose about whether ordinary citizens could wear football jerseys featuring player numbers when voting.Voting rightswere questioned.  This is because many Thais are passionate football fans who own several jerseys they might want to wear on a casual day, including when going out, running errands, or even voting.

The Election Commission previously clarified that wearing a football jersey with a number to vote depends on the intent behind it. Generally, if no message or hidden meaning is conveyed, wearing it is allowed. However, if it is intended to influence, it could violate the law. The emphasis is on the intent.

Is it permissible to wear football jerseys when voting?

Regarding wearing football jerseys, the EC does not prohibit them at polling stations. The concern arises from "details on the jersey" that might risk violating election laws.

1. Risk of campaign advertising

• If the football jersey features a political party logo, candidate number matching a candidate in that district, or symbols clearly representing a political party, it is considered "campaign advertising" on election day, which is illegal.

2. Symbols that may cause misunderstanding

• Some football clubs’ jerseys may have sponsors or patterns that coincidentally resemble political party symbols. If officials interpret this as a political message, problems may arise at the polling station.

3. Prohibited time period

• The law bans campaigning from 6:00 p.m. the day before the election until the election day ends. Therefore, wearing clothing with political party symbols inside the voting area carries a very high risk of legal action.

Which football jerseys can be worn to vote?

• Allowed: General football club jerseys (such as Liverpool, Manchester United, Buriram United, etc.) that do not have political party logos or candidate numbers.
• Should avoid: Football jerseys with printed names of politicians, party logos, or candidate numbers currently running in the election.

However, for peace of mind and a smooth voting experience, wearing plain or general-patterned jerseys unrelated to politics is best.