The Constitutional Court has announced five witnesses and scheduled a hearing on the barcode issue on election ballots for 26 August, ordering a ban on live video and audio broadcasts.
On 13 August 2026, the Constitutional Court began considering a petition from the Ombudsman requesting a constitutional review under Article 213. The petition concerns 22 complaints alleging that the Election Commission (EC) printed general election ballots on 8 February 2026 containing barcodes and QR codes that could potentially identify voters along with their votes, thus breaching ballot secrecy and violating several constitutional provisions.
For the sake of proper consideration, the Constitutional Court has scheduled testimony from five witnesses on Wednesday, 26 August 2026, at 10:30 a.m. The witnesses include Nittariya Rattanathasanee, a senior computer scientist from the EC; Woraphong Anancharoenkit, Director of the Election Support Office at the EC; Pakpoom Phoodum, a director of T.K.S. Technology Public Company Limited; Kanyanat Pikunthong, a director of Janwanich Security Printing Company Limited; and Sa-nguan Boonmee, Secretary-General of the EC.
Meanwhile, two other witnesses previously summoned—Ruanglak Ruengyangmee, Director of the Volunteer Printing Office, Department of Provincial Administration, and Police Sergeant Major Sompong Tandee, Director of the Election Support Office at the EC—are excused from attending. The court determined that their submitted statements already thoroughly address the relevant facts, so no in-person testimony is required on the scheduled date.
Additionally, the court has allowed the involved parties to review and copy electronic evidence, except for classified documents which are limited to inspection only. The court has also ordered a ban on live video and audio broadcasts of the witness hearings, permitting attendance solely for the parties involved and persons the court deems appropriate to listen within the courtroom.