Thais warned against wearing numbered shirts on election day
The Election Commission of Thailand has urged voters to avoid wearing football jerseys or any shirts featuring numbers on the back when casting their ballots on February 8, warning that such attire could be misinterpreted as political messaging.
The announcement was made just days before the upcoming general election, which is expected to draw a high turnout as citizens head to the polls to elect new members of Parliament.
All forms of campaigning will officially end at 6pm tomorrow, February 7, one day before voting begins.
Yesterday, February 5, acting Sub-Lieutenant Dr Samphan Saengkamloet, Director of the Bangkok Election Commission Office, spoke during a live interview and discussed preparations for the election.
He took the opportunity to remind the public to dress cautiously when heading to the polls.
Samphan emphasised that wearing sports jerseys, especially football shirts with visible numbers on the back, could potentially be seen as a form of indirect campaigning, depending on the interpretation.
Ejan reported that while not explicitly banned, he recommended voters play it safe as jerseys might be interpreted as support for a certain candidate or party.
He added that if questions or complaints are raised, individuals may be asked to explain their intention for wearing such clothing. However, he noted that the colours worn by early voters, mostly black and white, were generally not a concern.
In similar news, the Election Commission refused to attend a key Department of Special Investigation (DSI) board meeting where officials were set to decide on launching an investigation into alleged collusion in last year’s Senate election. Instead, the EC opted to send a formal letter asserting its sole authority over the matter.
The allegations of vote-fixing were raised by a group of unsuccessful candidates, including some on the reserve list, who accused the Election Commission of dragging its feet on the issue.
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