BANGKOK (NNT) - Voting is the duty of all Thai citizens above the age of 18. Those who did not cast their ballots on Sunday are advised to notify local authorities this week.

 

Thai citizens who did not vote in the general election, either in early voting or on election day yesterday, should submit their reasoning to the authorities by 21 May.

 

According to the law, failure to participate in an election is not a legal offense, but it revokes their rights to oppose election results in two years, to hold a political position, and to hold a local administrative position. This two-year period runs immediately after the latest election missed by that person, including the general and local elections. This means the prohibition period applies again if a person fails to participate in any election.

 

To avoid this repercussion, anyone who did not vote in the latest general election is encouraged to submit their reasoning to the relevant officials, either in-person to the district registrar, or by post, on the Smart Vote application, or on the website www.bora.dopa.go.th/all-election.

 

Source: https://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news/detail/TCATG230515160759863

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2023-05-15

 

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27 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

According to the law, failure to participate in an election is not a legal offense, but it revokes their rights to oppose election results in two years, to hold a political position, and to hold a local administrative position.

This is the first time I have ever heard of such a rule.  So use your voting right or loose it....thats something that could be used elsewhere.

Smacks of desperation. How sad this is being used.

Is it not 100% mandatory to Vote in some Western countries?

4 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

Is it not 100% mandatory to Vote in some Western countries?

I believe it is in Australia!

35 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

Is it not 100% mandatory to Vote in some Western countries?

I don't remember it ever been rolled ot in the last 5 elections. Strange that.

 

Are you an apologists trying to justify this!

 

Yes Australia, you pay a 100$ fine (if I remember) if you don't vote but it does not equate to this nonsense.

According to the law, failure to participate in an election is not a legal offense, but it revokes their rights to oppose election results in two years, to hold a political position, and to hold a local administrative position.

2 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

This is the first time I have ever heard of such a rule.  So use your voting right or loose it....thats something that could be used elsewhere.

is that what it really means ? 

 

2 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

but it revokes their rights to oppose election results in two years, to hold a political position, and to hold a local administrative position

does the language mean that they cannot vote or does it only mean they are not allowed to do certain things. tricky wording. 

2 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

This is the first time I have ever heard of such a rule.  So use your voting right or loose it....thats something that could be used elsewhere.

This Thai law has been around for a  l....o.....n.....g time.  No one looses their "voting right," but as the article states some restriction over the following two years could apply...quote from article below.    For most non-voters these restrictions are non-applicable to their day to day life, work, etc.   From my experience with Thai family/friends non-voters are usually "old" folks who have a hard time getting to the voting location due to age/mobility problems, don't understand the simple ballot marking/voting process, and of course those who have simply loss interest in voting.   And you have voters of any age who simply don't want/can not travel back to their voting province (i.e., how they are registered in their house registration/blue book).

 

Quote

According to the law, failure to participate in an election is not a legal offense, but it revokes their rights to oppose election results in two years, to hold a political position, and to hold a local administrative position. 

 

Edited May 15, 20233 yr by Pib

1 hour ago, brewsterbudgen said:

I believe it is in Australia!

Correct. Failure to vote carries a fine of $50 or perhaps more now.

 

The result is that Spoiled Ballot now polls strongly in most seats in Australian elections.

1 hour ago, brewsterbudgen said:

I believe it is in Australia!

Yes and if you don't vote you get fined.

3 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

This is the first time I have ever heard of such a rule.  So use your voting right or loose it....thats something that could be used elsewhere.

sorry but my gf wants to know if she is going to get the 10k if she did not go home to vote

12 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

This is the first time I have ever heard of such a rule.  So use your voting right or loose it....thats something that could be used elsewhere.

I have some Thai friends who live and work in my province, yet are registered at family homes up country... they said they would not travel home to vote.

Are they only allowed to vote in person in their registered home constituency?

No postal vote?

Or are they just being lazy by not finding a solution? 

9 hours ago, d4dang said:

sorry but my gf wants to know if she is going to get the 10k if she did not go home to vote

PT didn't win, so she's not getting 10k (nothing to do with whether she voted or not) . That election promise was based on them winning and forming the government (not being chosen to be part of it). MFP won and are forming the government. The 10k is dead in the water. 

21 minutes ago, SABloke said:

PT didn't win, so she's not getting 10k (nothing to do with whether she voted or not) . That election promise was based on them winning and forming the government (not being chosen to be part of it). MFP won and are forming the government. The 10k is dead in the water. 

My BIL will be pissed because that is the only reason why he voted PT

 

12 hours ago, Laughing Gravy said:

Are you an apologists trying to justify this!

What are you on about?. NO!

13 hours ago, KannikaP said:

Is it not 100% mandatory to Vote in some Western countries?

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2015/10/which-countries-make-voting-compulsory/

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

To avoid this repercussion, anyone who did not vote in the latest general election is encouraged to submit their reasoning to the relevant officials,

Reason number 1 - 'I was hoping for a better offer for my vote.'

13 hours ago, KannikaP said:

Is it not 100% mandatory to Vote in some Western countries?

It was in many...but many canceled that laws. Others just ignore it.

My TGF tried to change her voting location from Issan place of origin to Bangkok, thought she had it done, then they said no. She has said if she didn't participate then the local officials (where she still has business interests) will drag their feet when she tries to get some cooperation from them in various matters. This seems related to the OP.

4 hours ago, hotchilli said:

I have some Thai friends who live and work in my province, yet are registered at family homes up country... they said they would not travel home to vote.

Are they only allowed to vote in person in their registered home constituency?

No postal vote?

Or are they just being lazy by not finding a solution? 

For those friends "in Thailand" they have to vote "in-person" at their registered home district "unless" they apply to vote early at selected early voting locations across Thailand....but an early voting location could still be a good distance away.

 

For those Thais "living  outside or traveling outside Thailand" on election day they could register for early voting at a Thai embassy/consulate and then that Thai embassy/consulate would mail them ballots which the voter then returns to the embassy/consulate by a certain date which in-turn mails the ballots to Thailand via express/diplomatic mail to be counted on election day. 

 

So, no voting by mail if "in Thailand," but if living in/traveling outside Thailand on election day then voting by mail is possible.  

4 hours ago, KannikaP said:

What are you on about?. NO!

Well it came across that way. As you have clarified this lets move on.