MFA assures timely absentee ballots, says referendum votes follow Thai time

Today (Jan 30) at 10:30 a.m., at the press briefing room of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Mr. Mungkorn Pratoomkaew, Director-General of the Department of Consular Affairs, addressed the media regarding overseas elections and referendum voting. He expressed confidence that officials have carried out their duties to the fullest extent to deliver ballot papers via diplomatic pouches, ensuring their return to Thailand by February 5.

Mr. Mungkorn stated that the Department of Consular Affairs dispatched ballot papers for elections and referendums to Thai embassies, consulates general, and trade offices on January 10. Training sessions were also conducted jointly with the Election Commission of Thailand (ECT) to ensure that the overseas election and referendum process would be carried out accurately and properly.

The period from January 19-30 was designated for Thai nationals residing abroad to exercise their right to vote in the election and referendum. Afterward, officials would send the completed ballots back to Thailand via diplomatic pouches by February 5.

Regarding delays in the delivery of ballot papers in France, Mr. Mungkorn explained that the Royal Thai Embassy had extended the deadline for ballot submission beyond the original schedule in order to protect voters’ rights. The delays were due to logistical errors or transportation obstacles that caused some voters to receive their ballots late.

Mr. Mungkorn further affirmed that the Department of Consular Affairs has established careful procedures for returning overseas ballots to Thailand. A real-time tracking system known as OVMS is used to monitor every step of the process, including ballot distribution to voters, vote counting at embassies, the number of ballots sent via diplomatic pouches, and flight details. All data are recorded and verified through the system to ensure security and transparency in the ballot transportation process.

Once overseas ballots arrive in Thailand, they will be sorted and distributed to the relevant constituencies based on voters’ household registration records by February 6. The ballots will then be counted together with domestic ballots on February 8.

As for referendum ballots, officials at embassies, consulates general, and trade offices will securely store them and conduct vote counting simultaneously with Thailand time, after 5:00 p.m. on February 8, or within 48 hours thereafter. Thai nationals residing abroad who wish to observe the vote counting may do so at the designated counting venues, in order to ensure transparency in the process.

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