TDC denies blocking first-time voters, says students were told to vote in advance

On January 28, 2026, Mr. Yingcheep Atchanont (Pao), Director of iLaw, posted a message on X regarding some Grade 12 students being compelled to attend the Territorial Defense Student (ROTC) camp on February 8, which resulted in the loss of their right to vote and participate in the constitutional referendum.

Photo: X (@yingcheep)

He stated that while attending the training camp is unavoidable, voting is also a legal duty of Thai citizens, therefore, he proposed that government agencies and the Ministry of Defense should consider postponing the activity dates.

Meanwhile, the Bad Student page revealed that they found similar complaints from Territorial Defense Students (TDS) whose practical exam schedules overlap with the election day. Although some first-time voters can vote in advance in certain cases, they encountered a significant obstacle regarding the constitutional amendment referendum, as the Election Commission (EC) has no policy for advance voting for referendums. This puts some students at risk of losing their rights in this regard.

Photo: แผนกประชาสัมพันธ์ กองกิจการพลเรือน หน่วยบัญชาการรักษาดินแดน

Subsequently, the Territorial Defense Command (TDC), as the Royal Thai Army unit responsible for training, issued a statement clarifying the situation. They stated that the 2026 Territorial Defense Student Field Training Command was established at Khao Chon Kai Training Camp, Kanchanaburi Province, from January 4 to March 15, 2026. The training is for 2nd to 5th-year students nationwide, divided into shifts of 3-7 days depending on the curriculum for each year and gender.

Given that the EC set the election date for February 8, 2026, the TDC has coordinated with educational institutions whose training schedules overlap with that date to notify students to register for advance voting outside their constituencies according to relevant regulations.

The TDC specified that students who did not register for advance voting and wish to exercise their rights on the actual day at their registered residence can submit a request to change their training shift to a period that does not overlap with the election. Additionally, the TDC will cooperate with educational institutions to adjust operational plans and provide information to ensure that students in both central and regional areas can fully exercise their legal rights.

Finally, the TDC reaffirmed its commitment to the Royal Thai Army's policy of supporting the exercise of rights and promoting the duties of citizens under the democratic system with the King as Head of State.

Copywriter: Siam Associated Press (SAP) Editorial Department
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Source of material: official media /online news