The Election Commission (EC) has defended filing complaints against six individuals who photographed barcodes and QR codes on ballots from the February 8 general election, saying the move was necessary to protect the integrity of the vote.
EC secretary-general Sawaeng Boonmee said the step was essential to ensure the election’s credibility and fairness. The six individuals captured images of the codes and attempted to interpret them. They remain under police investigation, with no formal charges filed yet.
Sawaeng said the EC received a request from the Constitutional Court last week to provide witness statements in a related case. The Ombudsman had previously petitioned the court to rule on whether using barcodes and QR codes on ballot papers contravened the constitutional requirement for direct and secret voting. Critics argue the system could compromise voter anonymity by potentially linking ballots to individual voters.
Five witnesses are preparing statements: four legal experts and one technology expert.
Sawaeng also addressed reports that former election commissioner Somchai Srisutthiyakorn may file a defamation complaint against the EC, saying it would not pose a significant challenge. He added that the investigation into alleged collusion in the Senate election remains ongoing, pushing back against accusations of delays, particularly regarding senators aligned with the government, reported Bangkok Post.
In related news, a February election ballot barcode sparked voter privacy fears after experts warned the codes could identify individual voters. The Election Commission insisted barcodes were security tools to track ballot batches, not voters. But a former ECT commissioner flagged that scanning the pink ballot’s barcode could reveal its booklet number, which, cross-checked against the official voters’ list, could expose a voter’s choice. An IT expert tested a ballot and confirmed the link, raising questions over ballot secrecy ahead of the vote.
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