Students Demand Nationwide Vote Recount

2026-02-11 - 05:36

BANGKOK — 11 February 2026, Student protesters gathered outside the Election Commission (EC) headquarters on Tuesday, demanding a nationwide recount of ballots following what they described as widespread irregularities in the recent general election. At 10:00, representatives of student and civil society groups, led by the Thammasat Alliance and Demonstration Group, assembled in front of the B Government Complex on Chaeng Watthana Road to press their demands. They insisted that no political party was backing their action. The protesters cited several alleged irregularities occurring in a similar pattern across multiple constituencies, including power outages during vote counting in strategic polling stations; discrepancies between announced results and actual ballots; ambiguous or opaque tally marks; and suspected manipulation of figures. They also pointed to problems with the EC’s online reporting system, including errors, delays, interruptions and unexplained reductions in vote totals. In addition, they accused polling station committees and provincial election officials of obstructing public scrutiny. Demonstrators held placards reading “Recount the Entire Country” and placed a mock ballot box outside the complex bearing the message “Beware of Newborn Ballots”, draped with a condom in a symbolic protest gesture. Teerapop Tengpravat, a civil society representative and protest leader, said the group was standing in solidarity with people in the provinces who had sought clarification from local election offices. “We will not allow the seven central EC commissioners to hide behind the system,” he said. The group submitted five demands: a transparent nationwide recount open to public scrutiny; immediate disciplinary and criminal investigations against officials involved; prompt disclosure of polling station-level results; annulment and re-election in constituencies where recounts reveal discrepancies between ballots and voter turnout; and the resignation of all seven EC commissioners to take responsibility for alleged failures. Asked whether the protest would escalate if their demands were unmet, Teerapop said the group would first assess the EC’s response, adding that they had come prepared with reasons and evidence. Another political activist, Nopphasin, also known as “Sainam”, said the group would set up a complaints centre for members of the public who believed vote counting in their constituencies lacked transparency. Protesters planned to remain at the site until the evening to allow supporters to join after work. He said the immediate priority was the full release of polling station-level results, noting that in previous elections such data had been published within one to two days. Any constituency with excessive vote totals should undergo a recount, he added. When asked whether the protests could return to the scale of the 2020 street demonstrations, Nopphasin said it depended on the EC’s performance. “If they do their job well, no one wants to stand in the sun and rain,” he said. Rejecting accusations that the movement was backed by political parties or driven by sore losers, he said the issue was not about winning or losing but about fairness. “We cannot accept an unjust system. This has nothing to do with any political party. Everyone here voted differently,” he said. Pol. Lt. Col. Nattawat Sangiensak, deputy secretary-general of the EC, accepted the petition on behalf of the commission and said all complaints would be handled in accordance with the law. He said polling station tally sheets would be uploaded to the EC website for public verification and that the process would be expedited within one to two days. However, tensions rose as protesters pressed for clearer assurances about transparency safeguards. Nattawat repeatedly said the EC would proceed according to procedure, prompting frustration among some demonstrators. One shouted an insult accusing him of giving “idiotic answers”. A member of the public also asked about reports that a constituency tally form, known as Sor Sor 5/11, had been found discarded in a rubbish bin. Nattawat said an investigation was under way and that officials were awaiting a report. Dissatisfied with the responses, protesters raised their voices and continued questioning the EC representative. Ultimately, the official asked protest leaders to appoint representatives to formally submit their petition inside the EC office.