As advance voting is due to take place tomorrow (Sunday) across Thailand, the Election Commission has issued a warning to remind the public and election candidates about the prohibitions in place from tomorrow until Election Day on May 14th.
Violators may face jail terms ranging from three months to ten years and/or a fine of 6,000-100,000 baht. Voters may have their voting rights revoked for 5-20 years.
- From tomorrow, until 5pm of Election Day, election related opinion poll results cannot be disclosed publicly. Violators may face three months in prison and/or a fine of 6,000 baht.
- Anyone who allows outsiders to have their names included in their household registration for election purposes is liable to 2 years in prison and/or a fine of 40,000 baht and will have their voting rights revoked for up to 5 years.
- Anyone who organises gambling on election results will face jail terms ranging from 1-5 years and/or a fine from 20,000-100,000 baht and may have their voting rights revoked for up to 10 years.
- Selling liquor or holding parties were alcohol is served from 6pm on May 13th until 6pm on May 14th may face a jail term of up to six months and/or a fine of 10,000 baht. This prohibition also applies to advance voting tomorrow.
- Election candidates are not allowed to provide free transport to take voters to or from polling stations to vote. Violators may face a jail term, ranging from 1-10 years and/or a fine of 20,000-200,000 baht. They may have their voting rights revoked for up to 10 years. This prohibition also applies to state agencies.
- Anyone who obstructs a voter from exercising their voting rights may face a jail term ranging from 1-5 years and/or a fine from 20,000-100,000 baht and may have their voting rights revoked for 10 years.
- Voters are not allowed to take pictures of their marked ballot sheets or display their marked ballot sheets to other people, otherwise they can face a jail term not exceeding 1 year and/or a fine of up to 20,000 baht.
- Employers who prevent their employees from going to the polls may face a jail term of up to 2 years and/or a fine of up to 40,000 baht.
- Voters who accept or demand a bribe to vote or not to vote for electoral candidates may face imprisonment from 1-5 years and/or a fine of 20,000-100,000 baht and may have their voting rights revoked for up to 10 years.
- Voters are prohibited from taking their marked ballot sheets out of the polling units or intentionally putting additional marks on their ballot sheets. Violator face imprisonment for 1-5 five years and a fine of 20,000-100,000 baht and may have their voting rights revoked for up to 10 years.
- Anyone who intentionally damages a ballot sheet or validates an invalidated ballot sheet is liable to imprisonment for up to 5 years and a fine of up to 100,000 baht. They may have their voting rights revoked for up to ten years.
