A network of civil society groups has demanded that the Election Commission of Thailand (ECT) change its polling station layout so voting for the general election and the constitutional amendment referendum can be done at the same time, over concern that the process might be too complicated and voters could miss out on voting in the referendum.

Although voting for the general election and the referendum is conducted at the same polling locations, ballots will be marked in separate polling booths. According to an information booklet published by the ECT, voters will present their ID at one polling desk, receive the ballot, and cast their vote in one polling booth, before repeating the process at a second booth.

The NGO Coordinating Committee on Development (NGO-COD) and its partner organizations filed a petition with the ECT yesterday (14 January) for the system to be changed so that voters only have to go to one polling booth after receiving all three ballot papers at the same time to prevent confusion and ensure that voters can exercise their rights.

The petition said that requiring voters to go through the process twice is unnecessarily complicated, and voters might think that they only need to vote in the general election. Low voter turnout might then reduce the legitimacy of the referendum, which might then be used as a reason to disrupt the process of drafting a new constitution.

NGO-COD Chair Lertsak Kumkongsak said that he believes the ECT is trying to make the referendum fail by making the process difficult. He also noted that the information booklet published by the ECT contains passages that seem to convince people to reject drafting a new Constitution in favour of amending specific sections.

“Separating the polling booths makes people have to queue up twice and take more time. This obstacle has been created to make people abandon their right to vote in the referendum,” Lertsak said. If the ECT does not respond within a week, he said, the network will file an administrative lawsuit against the ECT for nonfeasance.

Meanwhile, Sohabudin Lohyapha, an activist from the Pattani River Protection Network, said that separating the polling booths would make difficulties for voters, especially in rural areas where polling stations are often crammed into tight spaces. Requiring voters to go to separate booths for the general election and the referendum would mean more time spent at the poll and voters might decide not to vote in the referendum.

“We need a constitution that really comes from the people to resolve political conflicts and past losses,” he said. “Having rules that make it easiest for people to exercise their right is a very important matter.” 

Speaking to reporters this morning (15 January), ECT secretary-general Sawaeng Boonmee said that the ECT will go ahead of the separate polling booths. He claimed they had considered several formats and that this is the best way to conduct the referendum. He also said that changing the layout would cost more confusion as the ECT has already informed the instructors who will be training polling station staff.