As accusations of vote-counting irregularities mount, the Election Commission (EC) is encountering a crisis of confidence amid fading levels of public trust.
The problem began with an incident in Pathum Thani and continued later in Chon Buri's Constituency 1, although that turned out to be a case of misinformation and false accusations.
For the former, the observers demanded a recount after they noticed some CCTVs had been covered with black bags while vote counting was underway.
Fortunately, there was an immediate recount, and the numbers were congruent. EC staff said they had to cover the cameras to guarantee voters' privacy.
In Chon Buri's Constituency 1, some observers complained about a dubious vote count after they saw several ballot boxes had not been properly sealed and vote-counting sheets had been flung into trash cans.
As the poll officials refused to conduct a recount, a standoff occurred, and anger flared. One incensed young woman even opened a ballot box -- this one had been sealed -- in a bid to force a recount.
Under election law, a recount must start with observers lodging an objection during the initial count. This raises the question of whether the EC instructed people to lodge complaints or even put in place official monitors.
Some regularities in other provinces include discrepancies in the numbers of used ballots, as well as the excessively high number of invalid ballots due to the poor judgment of certain EC officials. The EC has ignored the demands of some activists that it release the results of its vote counts.
Now we have a growing "recount" campaign that is spreading across the nation like wildfire. Some are even calling for a nationwide recount.
It's too early to conclude that all the accused mistakes were intentional or foul play. But these cases indicate a lack of efficiency at all levels.
Without full transparency, people will start to doubt the whole process. Some are even calling for Sunday's election to be scrapped entirely.
Even former election commissioner Somchai Srisutthiyakorn has criticised the EC for its weak performance, saying that, in addition to a ballot recount, poll officials must be held responsible for their mistakes.
The Post is among those demanding the EC promptly launch an investigation into any problematic sites and quickly inform the public what actually happened, and how it is redressing the matter. Any failure to do so will set a dangerous precedent in future elections.
The EC must take swift action regarding the ballot-counting saga in Chon Buri in order to curb public distrust, which could spark another round of political upheaval.
More than anything, the EC needs to communicate better with the public and explain what actually happened at the Chon Buri polling unit, instead of letting people form their own opinions from viral clips and social media.
Instead of ignoring its critics, the EC must remind people to follow its regulations on recounts, such as by submitting a formal inquiry and evidence.
If trust in the EC is truly lost, then it should come as no surprise if, during the next major elections, we see observers applying maximum pressure at all polling booths as they clamour to demand recounts or even a re-election. In that case, democracy would be cast into the shadows by our reluctant and aloof polling agency.
