BMA says election, referendum run smoothly in morning

Bangkok reports smooth first half of election day

Bangkok authorities said the House of Representatives election and the referendum vote were running smoothly during the first half of election day, with polling taking place peacefully and within the legal framework.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) gave the update at the Bangkok election coordination centre at City Hall, with Bangkok permanent secretary Narong Ruangsri briefing on progress, operations and public facilitation throughout the day.

Minor early issues resolved quickly

Narong said there were small problems at the start of polling station operations, mainly due to excitement and inexperience among some polling officials. He said all cases were corrected quickly and did not affect voters’ rights.

Before-dawn preparation, 97,000 staff deployed

He said preparations began before dawn, starting at around 3.30am, including the assembly of ballot boxes, ballot papers and equipment. Materials were transported from storage locations to polling stations from around 4am, enabling stations to open on time.

About 97,000 officials were deployed for today’s operations in Bangkok. Including advance voting on February 1, total staffing was around 121,000, he said.

City-wide inspections and support for vulnerable voters

The BMA, working with the Bangkok Election Commission Office, deployed teams to support polling stations and resolve issues on the spot. Narong said all six deputy permanent secretaries visited polling stations across the capital, covering more than 6,530 stations, to advise polling station committees and ensure orderly operations.

Key priorities included correcting any incorrectly displayed information signage and ensuring assistance for vulnerable groups, including older people, people with disabilities and those requiring additional support.

Narong said the guiding principles were efficiency, convenience and public safety, alongside neutrality, transparency, integrity and fairness.

Observers from more than 10 countries

Bangkok said it had tightened procedures and systems for counting and reporting unofficial results, with observers from election commissions in more than 10 countries, as well as organisations and universities, monitoring the process and conducting opinion surveys. Several groups, the BMA said, praised Bangkok’s management and facilitation.

Counting expected to start after 5pm, results feed begins at 8pm

Vote counting for constituency ballots, party-list ballots and the referendum will begin after polls close at 5pm. Counting is expected to start at around 5.30–6pm, with an average pace of about 500 ballots per hour and no more than two hours per polling station.

At around 8pm, polling station committees will photograph the results report form and enter vote totals into the “ECT Report” system for unofficial results. Bangkok expects about 50% of results to be available by around 9pm, with a clearer picture by 10pm.

Real-time updates will be displayed on a 3×10-metre screen at Lan Khon Mueang outside Bangkok City Hall, and on another screen at Siam, the BMA said.

Issues addressed: Huai Khwang location change, ID checks

Bangkok also clarified several issues raised during the day, including the relocation of a referendum polling point in Huai Khwang from the district office to the forecourt of a multi-purpose building near MRT Rama 9 Road. The change was publicised, and shuttle buses operated by the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) were arranged for people who travelled to the wrong location.

The BMA also addressed social media reports that some polling staff did not check ID cards before handing out ballot papers. Narong said the issue occurred during the early hours due to some officials being new, and that instructions had been issued to tighten procedures. He said operations had returned to normal.

Schools to close on Monday, public urged to vote before 5pm

More than 400 BMA schools were used as polling stations. Bangkok said these schools would be closed on Monday to allow staff — most of whom are teachers — to rest and pack up equipment after working from around 3am.

Bangkok urged residents who had not yet voted or taken part in the referendum to do so before polls close at 5pm. District offices in all 50 districts were also ordered to provide special national ID card issuance services from 8am to 5pm for those who lost their cards or required identification to vote, while a real-time monitoring centre at City Hall continued to coordinate issue response throughout the day.