What Happens If You Dont Vote in the 2026 Bangkok Governor Election? Rights Restrictions and How to Report Your Absence

Clear check: Is it a problem if you don't vote in the 2026 Bangkok Governor and Council elections? It is advised that if you cannot attend, you must report your “reason for not voting.” Otherwise, you may face a 2-year restriction of rights.

Is it a problem if you do not vote for the Bangkok Governor?

Today (28 Jun 2026), reports confirm that the Bangkok Governor and Bangkok Council elections, which close at 5:00 p.m., still allow time for citizens to cast their votes.

However, for voters who cannot vote on election day, they may report their valid reason within 7 days before or after the election. Failure to report may result in various restrictions as follows.

1. Registering as a candidate for Member of Parliament (MP), local council member, local executive, or Senator.

2. Registering as a village headman or village chief.

3. Initiating a petition to remove local council members or local executives.

4. Holding positions as political government officials or political parliamentary officials.

5. Holding positions as deputy local executives, secretaries to local executives, assistant secretaries, chief advisors, advisors, or advisory committees to local executives.

6. Holding positions as secretary to the local council president, assistant secretary to the council president, or secretary to the vice president of the local council.

These restrictions last for 2 years, counted from the election date when the voter failed to cast their vote.

How to report your absence from voting in the Bangkok Governor and Council election.

Voters unable to vote due to valid reasons must report to the local registrar (district director) where they are registered within 7 days before the election (21-27 Jun 2026) or within 7 days after the election (29 Jun - 5 Jul 2026). The report must be in writing, including your ID number and registered address.

• Report in person.
• Authorize another person to submit on your behalf.
• Send by registered mail.
• Report via the website.www.ect.go.thOr via the Smart Vote application.
• Through the Ministry of Interior's Registration Office website.www.bora.dopa.go.th 

Valid reasons for being unable to vote.

• Having urgent necessary duties requiring travel to a distant area.
• Illness preventing travel to vote.
• Being disabled, handicapped, or elderly and unable to travel to vote.
• Traveling abroad.
• Residence located more than 100 kilometers from the polling station.
• Ordered by government authorities to perform duties outside the voting district.
• Force majeure or other reasons as defined by the Election Commission.

If a voter has reported a valid reason but the circumstance ends on election day, they may still vote at their assigned polling station.

Information provided byBang Phlat District Office, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.