BMA ready for 2026 Bangkok governor election registration as budget nears 300m baht

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) on Wednesday announced its readiness to open candidate registration for the 2026 Bangkok governor election and the election of Bangkok Metropolitan Council (BMC) members from May 28 to June 1 at BMA City Hall in Din Daeng.

The BMA said more than 1,500 officials would be mobilised to facilitate the process. This year’s election budget has risen to almost 300 million baht, in line with an increase in the number of eligible voters to more than 4.5 million.

Registration for 2026 Bangkok governor and BMC candidates

Narong Ruangsri, permanent secretary of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and local election director for Bangkok, together with the local election committee, confirmed the city’s readiness to manage candidate registration for both Bangkok Metropolitan Council members and the Bangkok governor.

Key details are as follows:

• Registration dates: May 28 – June 1, 2026
• Office hours: 8.30am – 4.30pm
• Venue: Bangkok Room, B2 floor, Irawat Pattana Building, Din Daeng
• Check-in: Candidates may report from 5am for document checks.

The venue has been clearly divided into separate registration areas to reduce congestion. Bangkok governor candidates will have one registration point and four application desks, while BMC candidates will be served through separate counters covering all 50 districts inside the Bangkok Room.

The BMA said this arrangement would make the process faster than in previous years. Each candidate will be allowed to bring no more than two accompanying persons into the area.

Bangkok election 2022 vs 2026

This election will see clear changes in the budget, number of eligible voters and number of polling stations.

In the 2022 election, there were 4,402,948 eligible voters. In 2026, the figure has risen to 4,507,523, an increase of around 100,000.

The election budget in 2022 stood at 207,847,601 baht, while the 2026 budget is 294,100,000 baht, an increase of about 86 million baht.

The number of polling stations has fallen from 6,817 in 2022 to 6,629 in 2026, a decrease of 188 stations.

What candidates need to know: campaign spending and election posters

The BMA and local Election Commission stressed the legal requirements and public order measures designed to ensure that the election is transparent and fair.

For campaign spending, Bangkok governor candidates may spend no more than 49 million baht.

BMC candidates may spend between 820,000 and 1.15 million baht, depending on the size of their district.

There is no maximum limit on the number of campaign assistants.

Campaign posters must be installed only in suitable locations and must not obstruct traffic or pavements. If posters are found to be inappropriate, district offices have the authority to remove them immediately.

The BMA has also set up the Bangkok Election Coordination Centre on the fifth floor of Bangkok City Hall at Sao Chingcha. The centre will handle complaints and monitor possible election fraud throughout the process.

The city aims to encourage Bangkok residents to turn out in numbers higher than in 2022, when voter turnout was 60.73% for the governor election and 60.48% for the BMC election.