Thai Voting Regualtions

[Greenside]

My girlfriend accidentally missed the deadline for registering to vote here in CM and now says she'll have to go back to Surin when the time comes. Notwithstanding the moral issue about using one's vote, does anyone know the legal position here? Are Thai's obliged to cast a vote and if they don't, what happens?

[uptheos]

My girlfriend accidentally missed the deadline for registering to vote here in CM and now says she'll have to go back to Surin when the time comes. Notwithstanding the moral issue about using one's vote, does anyone know the legal position here? Are Thai's obliged to cast a vote and if they don't, what happens?

I'm not sure what happens if they don't vote, but yes it's compulsary and they must vote in the Amphur where their name is on the house document. So for example if you live in Phuket and she's registered in Mae Hong Son, unless she owns her own house in Phuket, she's required to vote in Mae Hong Son.

Other readers please feel free to correct me.

[cm-happy]

Thought they were required to vote ONLY if paid to do so

[OlRedEyes]

According to my wife it's a fallacy that Thais MUST vote. There is no such law.

[uptheos]

Thought they were required to vote ONLY if paid to do so

Lol

[uptheos]

According to my wife it's a fallacy that Thais MUST vote. There is no such law.

Yes, lots of ambiguity here - according to mine and Thai friends it is compulsary.

However, like most Thai laws I wonder how it is enforced?

[samran]

Not compulsory as I understand it. Just that if you don't vote in an election, you are unable to do things such as run for parliament, sign petitions etc etc, until you start voting again.

[uptheos]

Methinks, I'll now leave this topic up to the Thai public to make their own decision. I'm sure by voting age they must have had some advice or found out from family, friends, co-workers etc, whether it's compulsary or not? - I don't think they need my advice

[Greenside]

Methinks, I'll now leave this topic up to the Thai public to make their own decision. I'm sure by voting age they must have had some advice or found out from family, friends, co-workers etc, whether it's compulsary or not? - I don't think they need my advice

She wants to vote it's just that having missed the opportunity to do it here it now involves about 28 hours on a bus, a couple of thousand baht and being away from the light of her life (err..that's me ) for several days around Christmas. I could travel with her but it's pretty wearing and we only just got back from a trip there last month. So from the practical point of view it's a bit of a pain in the neck and while I want her to follow her conscience as far as the actual voting goes, I don't want her to make the trek because she thinks "something will happen to her" so my original questions stand.

[uptheos]

Methinks, I'll now leave this topic up to the Thai public to make their own decision. I'm sure by voting age they must have had some advice or found out from family, friends, co-workers etc, whether it's compulsary or not? - I don't think they need my advice

She wants to vote it's just that having missed the opportunity to do it here it now involves about 28 hours on a bus, a couple of thousand baht and being away from the light of her life (err..that's me ) for several days around Christmas. I could travel with her but it's pretty wearing and we only just got back from a trip there last month. So from the practical point of view it's a bit of a pain in the neck and while I want her to follow her conscience as far as the actual voting goes, I don't want her to make the trek because she thinks "something will happen to her" so my original questions stand.

Go to City Hall or the local Amphur and ask - they should know. I emphasise 'should' but don't hold your breath

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

My girlfriend accidentally missed the deadline for registering to vote here in CM and now says she'll have to go back to Surin when the time comes. Notwithstanding the moral issue about using one's vote, does anyone know the legal position here? Are Thai's obliged to cast a vote and if they don't, what happens?

even if there was a legal statute since when are laws obeyed in Thailand anyway?