EC estimates 9 billion baht for referendum on constitutional amendments and MOU termination
The Election Commission estimates a 9-billion-baht budget for a referendum on constitutional amendments and the termination of the Thai-Cambodian MOU alongside the general election.
Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul met with the Election Commission of Thailand (EC) on Friday to discuss plans for a referendum on the constitutional amendments and the termination of the Thai-Cambodian Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) from 2000 and 2001. The referendum will be held alongside the general election of 2025.
The meeting, chaired by Ittiporn Boonprakong, Chairman of the Election Commission, lasted about one hour. After the discussions, Ittiporn explained that the meeting was a preliminary exchange regarding the process, budget, and readiness for the referendum. No final decisions had been made at that stage.
For the referendum, Ittiporn clarified that there would initially be two ballots: one for the constituency election and another for the party-list election. If the referendum includes both the constitutional amendments and the termination of the Thai-Cambodian MOU, an additional two ballots will be required, bringing the total to four ballots. He warned that this could cause confusion among voters and emphasized the importance of designing an efficient and easily understood management system for both voters and election officials.
The Election Commission will follow the Referendum Act, whether the old or new version of the law, and the newly effective Referendum Act now allows for the possibility of holding the referendum outside Thailand for the first time, which will also apply in this case. The process for vote counting is still under discussion.
On the budget, Ittiporn projected that holding both the referendum and the general election on the same day would cost approximately 9 billion baht, while separate events would exceed 10 billion baht. With an estimated 53 million eligible voters in 2026, holding both events together is considered a more cost-effective option.
Prime Minister Anutin also confirmed to the media that the government is committed to holding a referendum on constitutional amendments and the termination of the 2000 and 2001 MOUs as announced to Parliament, despite some opposition from academics and politicians.
Anutin added that a working group will be set up with the Election Commission to define the operational details and expedite the process.
The Prime Minister concluded by stressing the need to reach a conclusion swiftly, as the current political roadmap indicates that the government will complete its term and dissolve the House by January 31, 2026.
