BANGKOK, THAILAND – Thailand’s Supreme Administrative Court was handling 18 cases related to elections and referendums, with several already dismissed, rejected or withdrawn, according to court officials.
18 cases under review
According to the court, the 18 cases were being examined partly by lower administrative courts and partly directly by the Supreme Administrative Court.
One case had been dismissed, two had been rejected, and another had been withdrawn by the plaintiffs.
Who decides election disputes in Thailand
Court vice president Prawit Boonthiem referred to the Organic Election Law of 2018, which distributed responsibilities for election conflicts across several judicial levels.
Depending on the subject of the dispute, the Constitutional Court, the administrative court system and the ordinary courts of justice all played a role.
Disputed issues from barcodes to ballot boxes
Substantively, the pending cases ranged from barcodes on ballot papers to allegations of irregularities involving the ballots themselves.
Other complaints concerned allegedly faulty combining of ballot boxes, what plaintiffs viewed as unfair election management, and the question of whether a referendum on the same day as a parliamentary election was permissible.
Referendum ballots in focus
One case concerning the design of a referendum ballot that allowed only the options “approve” or “disapprove” was not admitted for a decision by the court.
Another case challenging the legality of holding a referendum on the same day as the election was withdrawn by the plaintiffs, while a complaint against the use of the word “approve” on the ballot was rejected by the Supreme Administrative Court.
Registration period and ballot wording
The three-day registration period for voting outside a voter’s home constituency in a referendum was also under judicial review.
In addition, the courts were examining the precise terminology on referendum ballots and whether particular formulations correctly informed voters or might steer them in a certain direction.
Proposal for a legal fund for election observers
Separately from the court proceedings, former election commission member Somchai Srisutthiyakorn proposed a public fund to support citizens involved in legal disputes after observing elections.
“Numerous election observers have become criminal suspects following complaints by the election commission, especially in Chon Buri and Bangkok, which can lead to lengthy proceedings.”
said Somchai Srisutthiyakorn, former election commissioner.
Financing the fund and planned support
Somchai suggested raising money not through donations but through the sale of products such as board games, T-shirts and books, with proceeds flowing into the fund.
The fund was intended to cover legal fees and travel costs to court, as well as lost professional opportunities, psychological support, bail and the costs of civil or criminal counterclaims.