17 Cautions: Avoiding Violations of Election Laws for the Bangkok Governor,
Members of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration Council,
the Pattaya City Mayor, and Members of the Pattaya City Council
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The Office of the Election Commission of Thailand publicises the prohibitions and

cautions under the election laws. This is to ensure that election candidates, eligible voters, and the general public are informed and avoid actions that may constitute offenses under the Election of Members of Local Assemblies or Local Administrators Act, B.E. 2562 (2019) and its amendments, for the upcoming elections on Sunday, 28 June 2026. Therefore, eligible voters must exercise their right to vote only  at  the specific polling station where their name is listed on the voter list, on Sunday, 28 June 2026, from 08.00 to 17.00 hrs only.

Offenses Relating to Vote-Buying and Inducing Voters

1. Candidates or any individuals are prohibited from acting in any way to induce  voters to vote for themselves or other candidates, to abstain from voting, or to  persuade  others  not  to vote for any particular candidate through the following methods:

·    Providing, offering, promising to give, or preparing to give property or any other calculable financial benefits to anyone

·    Giving, offering, promising to give money, property, or any other benefits (directly or indirectly) to communities, associations, foundations, temples/religious places, educational institutions, welfare institutions, or any other organisations.

Penalty: Imprisonment for 1 – 10 years, or a fine of 20,000 – 200,000 Baht, or both. The court shall also revoke the individual's voting rights for 20 years.

 

 

 

 

 

Campaigning through entertainment, concerts, or festivities is  prohibited. Hosting or promising to host feasts/parties for anyone is prohibited. Deceiving,  forcing, threatening, abusing influence, defaming with falsehoods, or inducing misconceptions about any candidate's popularity is prohibited.

Penalty: Imprisonment for 1 – 10 years, or a fine of 20,000 – 200,000 Baht, or both. The court shall also revoke the individual's voting rights for 20 years

2. A candidate shall not provide vehicles for carrying persons entitled to vote to polling places for the purpose of an election or from polling places or provide persons entitled to vote with transportation to or from polling places for casting votes  without paying usual fares or remuneration.

Penalty: Imprisonment for 1 – 10 years, or a fine of 20,000 – 200,000 Baht, or both. The court shall also revoke the individual's voting rights for 20 years

No one may perform the aforementioned act to induce or control voters to vote for or against any candidate.

Exception: Government agencies may arrange vehicles to facilitate voters but must notify the Provincial Election Director before doing so. However, the specific Local Administrative Organisation holding the election is strictly prohibited from providing such transportation

Penalty: Imprisonment for up to 5 years, or a fine of up to 100,000 Baht, or both.
The court shall revoke the individual's voting rights for 5 years

3. No one may pay, distribute, or give money, property, or other benefits to voters to induce them to abstain from voting, or commit any act to prevent voters from casting their votes.

Anyone possessing the ID cards of 2 or more other voters without reasonable cause between the date the election is announced until the day after election day shall be presumed to have committed this offense.

Penalty: Imprisonment for up to 10 years, or a fine of up to 200,000 Baht, or both.
The court shall revoke the individual's voting rights for 10 years

4. Voters are prohibited from requesting, accepting, or agreeing to accept money, property, or any other benefits for themselves or others in exchange for voting for/against a candidate, or abstaining from voting

Penalty: Imprisonment for 1 – 10 years, or a fine of 20,000 – 200,000 Baht, or both. The court shall revoke the individual's voting rights for 20 years

 

 

Note: If the person informs the Election Commission or authorised officials of the violation prior to being arrested, they shall be exempt from punishment and will not have their voting or candidacy rights revoked

Offenses Relating to Election Campaigning

5. No one may conduct election campaigning by any means that benefits or disadvantages any candidate from 18:00 (6:00 PM) on the day before election day
(June 27, 2026) until the end of election day (June 28, 2026)

Penalty: Imprisonment for up to 6 months, or a fine of up to 10,000 Baht, or both

Offenses Relating to Voting and Ballots

6. Anyone who knows they do not have the right to vote is prohibited from attempting to vote or casting a vote.

Penalty: Imprisonment for 1 – 10 years, or a fine of 20,000 – 200,000 Baht, or both.
The court shall revoke the individual's voting rights for 20 years

7. Voters are prohibited from using any ballot other than the official one received from the Members of the Committee of a Polling Station

Penalty: Imprisonment for 1 – 10 years, or a fine of 20,000 – 200,000 Baht, or both. The court shall revoke the individual's voting rights for 20 years

No one may remove an official ballot from the polling station, except when acting in accordance with their legal duties and authority

Penalty: Imprisonment for up to 5 years, or a fine of up to 100,000 Baht, or both.
The court shall revoke the individual's voting rights for 10 years

8. No one may intentionally make any mark on a ballot other than the designated voting mark.

Penalty: Imprisonment for up to 5 years, or a fine of up to 100,000 Baht, or both.
The court shall revoke the individual's voting rights for 10 years.

9. During voting hours, no one may use any device or equipment to take
a photo of a marked ballot inside the voting booth

Penalty: Imprisonment for up to 1 year, or a fine of up to 20,000 Baht, or both.

 

 

 

10. Voters are prohibited from showing their marked ballots to others to reveal how they voted or whether they abstained.

Penalty: Imprisonment for up to 1 year, or a fine of up to 20,000 Baht, or both

11. Anyone who intentionally damages or ruins the ballot they received from the Member of the Committee of a Polling Station shall face a fine of up to 5,000 Baht (this shall not be deemed criminal damage to property)

Anyone who intentionally damages a ballot or causes it to become an invalid ballot (outside of the above paragraph) with the intent to disrupt an honest or fair election, alters an invalid ballot to make it valid, or fabricates/uses a counterfeit ballot

Penalty: Imprisonment for up to 5 years, a fine of up to 100,000 Baht. The court shall revoke the individual's voting rights for 10 years

Offenses Relating to Fraud and Obstruction of Election

12. No one may place a ballot into a ballot box without legal authority, alter the voter list to falsely show that a voter attended, or act in any way that causes the number of ballots to exceed the actual number of voters.

Penalty: Imprisonment for 1 – 10 years, or a fine of 20,000 – 200,000 Baht, or both.
The court shall revoke the individual's voting rights for 20 years

13. No one may act without legal authority to prevent voters from exercising their rights, or block/delay voters from reaching the polling station within the designated voting hours

Penalty: Imprisonment for up to 5 years, or a fine of up to 100,000 Baht, or both.
The court shall revoke the individual's voting rights for 10 years

14. Supervisors or employers who obstruct, delay, or fail to provide reasonable convenience to subordinates or employees wishing to exercise their right to vote

Penalty: Imprisonment for up to 2 years, or a fine of up to 40,000 Baht, or both

Offenses Impacting Election Integrity and Fairness

15. No one may demand, accept, or agree to accept money, property, or any calculable benefit to run as a candidate. Conversely, no one may give, offer, promise, or prepare to give such benefits to induce anyone to run for election

Penalty: Imprisonment for 1 – 10 years, or a fine of 20,000 – 200,000 Baht, or both.
The court shall revoke the individual's voting rights for 20 years

 

16. Selling, distributing, dispensing, or hosting alcohol of any kind in the constituency is prohibited from 18:00 (6:00 PM) on the day before election day (27 June 2026) until 18:00 (6:00 PM) on election day (28 June 2026)

Penalty: Imprisonment for up to 6 months, or a fine of up to 10,000 Baht, or both

17. No one may gamble or organise gambling/betting on the outcome of the election

Penalty for Gamblers: Imprisonment for 1 – 5 years, or a fine of 20,000 – 100,000 Baht,
or both. The court shall revoke voting rights for 10 years and revoke the right to stand for election for
the organiser of such gambling

If the violator is a candidate: Imprisonment for 1 – 10 years, or a fine of 20,000 – 200,000 Baht, or both, and the court shall revoke the candidate's right to stand for election

The Office of the Election Commission of Thailand urges all candidates, eligible voters, and citizens to strictly study and comply with the election laws.If you witness election fraud or any actions that may violate election laws, you can report clues via the "Ta Sapparod" (Pineapple Eyes) mobile application

For further information, please visit the website of the Office of the Election Commission of Thailand at www.ect.go.th, or the hotline service at 1444.

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