Army affirms neutrality, encourages soldiers to vote freely
Army chief assures soldiers' voting rights will be respected and urges politicians to stop involving the military in election campaigns
On February 6, 2026, at the Army Headquarters, Maj Gen Winthai Suvaree, the spokesperson for the Thai Army, addressed the army's role in supporting the upcoming elections, reaffirming the army's neutrality and commitment to upholding democratic principles.
Gen Pana Claewplodtook, the Army Commander-in-Chief, has made it clear that all soldiers are encouraged to exercise their right to vote in accordance with democratic principles. He emphasized that soldiers, as citizens, should make their voting decisions based on personal discretion without any form of direction or influence from the military.
Maj Gen Winthai also called for cooperation from all parties involved, stating that certain political figures or parties have recently made claims involving the army, either directly or indirectly, suggesting that the military is involved in the election process. He clarified that these claims were false and misrepresented the army’s actions.
The army has confirmed that no military facilities will serve as polling stations, and military personnel will not be acting as election officers. The army has no involvement with the election ballots or election booths. He stressed that it was crucial to clarify such misinformation, which could lead to a misunderstanding in society about the army’s role.
Furthermore, he pointed out that some political parties have continued to make remarks that involve the military during the election campaign, although these instances have been fewer compared to the 2023 election. He asserted that such tactics were unproductive and unsuitable for the current political climate.
Regarding any further issues related to the military being mentioned in the election context, the army spokesperson assured that the military would provide clarifications to the public at the appropriate time, without interfering with citizens' and soldiers' voting rights.
Maj Gen Winthai concluded by stressing that public figures should base their communications on factual information, avoiding messages that could cause public misunderstanding and damage the credibility of institutions. He reaffirmed the army’s firm position on remaining politically neutral and refraining from any involvement in the political process.
