BANGKOK, THAILAND – A new NIDA poll showed Thai voters were almost evenly divided on whether to wait for a court ruling before forming a new government.
NIDA takes post-election pulse
The NIDA Poll of the National Institute of Development Administration released its findings on 8 March under the title “Forming a new government vs the ballot paper issue.” The survey was conducted between 2 and 4 March 2026.
It linked two sensitive topics: the formation of a new government and the legal dispute over markings on ballot papers. The poll focused on QR codes and barcodes as potential sources of political and legal conflict.
Wait for the court or move ahead
When asked whether a new government should be formed while a court case on QR and barcodes on ballot papers was still pending, 44.81 percent opposed haste and preferred to wait for a verdict. Almost as many, 41.68 percent, wanted a rapid formation of a government so the country would remain politically functional.
A smaller group did not take sides in this dilemma. A total of 13.20 percent expressed no clear preference between waiting and moving quickly.
A minor undecided bloc
Another 0.31 percent did not provide an answer or said they were not interested. This indicated that only a very small share of respondents stayed completely outside the debate.
Overall, the numbers suggested that most people felt compelled to choose between legal clarity and political continuity. The undecided and uninterested formed only a marginal segment of the sample.
Fears of renewed political turmoil
On whether the dispute over codes on ballot papers could trigger a new round of political turbulence, the largest group, 36.56 percent, believed there would be no unrest. Another 34.20 percent expected turbulence but considered it manageable.
By contrast, 28.55 percent feared new unrest that the government would not be able to control. The figures pointed to significant concern that the ballot code issue could escalate beyond legal arguments.
Election secrecy still under scrutiny
On the question of whether their vote on 8 February had truly remained secret, 47.64 percent said they were not worried at all. At the same time, 19.08 percent were “quite worried” and 18.55 percent were “very worried,” while 14.27 percent were “not very worried.”
The data showed that almost one in five felt very concerned about ballot secrecy. This underlined how sensitive technical features on ballot papers were in a politically polarized climate.
What the numbers suggest politically
The survey painted a picture of a society torn between a desire for stability and a need for legal clarification. Strong support existed both for immediate government formation and for waiting until the courts had ruled.
The high level of concern among those who were very worried about election secrecy highlighted the political risks attached to QR codes and barcodes. In the current environment, such technical details were perceived not just as administrative tools but as potential threats to trust in the democratic process.