THAI VOTERS IN MALAYSIA CAST BALLOTS AHEAD OF FEB 8 GENERAL ELECTION AND REFERENDUM

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 24 (Bernama) -- Thai nationals in Malaysia have been urged to fulfil their civic duty by casting their votes in Thailand’s general election (GE) and national constitutional referendum to help strengthen democratic practices in the Kingdom.

Thailand’s Ambassador to Malaysia, Lada Phumas, said the overseas voting exercise aims to enhance the civil and political rights of Thai citizens abroad, noting that 3,957 voters have registered in Malaysia, with 2,814 registered for the referendum, ahead of Thailand’s general election on February 8.

“We have already organised one mobile voting unit in Johor Bahru last Wednesday, while on-site voting is being held today and tomorrow at the Royal Thai Embassy in Kuala Lumpur and the Consulate General in Penang, as well as on Friday and today in Kota Bharu, Kelantan.

“Additionally, mobile voting units will be deployed in Sarawak and Sabah on January 27 and 29. This is to facilitate Thai nationals who are unable to vote on-site. We will continue to extend our hospitality and welcome everyone while expediting the queue to ensure a smooth and swift process. We will do our best today and tomorrow,”  Lada told Bernama when met at the early voting day for Thai overseas voters in Malaysia at the Royal Thai Embassy from 9 am to 6 pm here, on Saturday. 

Commenting on the voting process, Minister Counsellor Adittha Buakhamsi said the general election will elect the Thai House of Representatives, which comprises 500 members, with 100 elected through the party-list system and 400 from electoral constituencies.

“The voters will receive two types of ballots — one for the party list and another for the electoral constituencies. In addition to the election, there is also a referendum process.

“We hope that the process will go smoothly, and we encourage Thai citizens who are eligible to come and cast their ballot,” he said.

A young voter Suchada Islam, also known as Sarah, 26, a Thai national working as a content moderator in Kuala Lumpur, said she came to the Royal Thai Embassy on Saturday to cast her vote, hoping for a better future for the Kingdom.

“Even though it is just one vote, I hope it can help bring positive change, further development and more opportunities for the Thai people,” she said, expressing her hope that the new government will lead the country towards a better future.

Another young voter, Nida Kebbenmud, 29, from Hat Yai, Thailand, who is currently pursuing education in Curriculum and Instruction at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), said this was her first time voting in Malaysia after living in the country for two years.

“Of course, we are thinking about the next generation. We want Thailand to be more developed than it is now, whether in terms of the economy, education, or other aspects. Even though we are abroad, Thai citizens everywhere still need to exercise their right to choose the leaders we want for the future of the country,” she said.

Another voter, Nur Asyikin, 27, a Southern Thai national currently working as a customer service officer in Bangsar, also hopes that the government to be formed will bring change and improvements for the people of Patani and for Thai citizens as a whole.

Meanwhile, an elderly voter, Somporn Rattasombun, also affectionately known as Mok Nab, 90, who voted for the first time at the Royal Thai Embassy in Malaysia, was happy and proud to be able to fulfil her responsibility, while urging other Thai citizens to also carry out their rights and duties.

According to the Election Commission of Thailand, 139,535 Thai nationals worldwide have registered as overseas voters for the general election and 95,666 for the referendum.

The 2026 election follows the dissolution of the House of Representatives late last year, while the referendum seeks to assess public consensus on the drafting of a new constitution.

This will be Thailand's third constitutional referendum, after the first in 2007 and the second in 2016.

— BERNAMA