Feb 8 Dual Vote Guide: Thailand MPs & Constitution

A rare double-ballot is fast approaching: on the same February Sunday that Thais choose their next 500 MPs, they will also decide whether the country should begin writing an entirely new constitution. Academics are warning that silence from political parties could depress turnout and weaken the referendum’s legitimacy—a risk the Election Commission can ill afford as it faces its own credibility questions.

The February 8 drill, in brief

Voters will receive two different cards at the booth. A yellow referendum ballot asks a single question: “Should Thailand have a new constitution?” At the very same table a separate pink and white ballot will determine the make-up of the House of Representatives. Holding both votes simultaneously, the Cabinet argues, saves money and spares citizens a second trek to the urns.

Key details that matter for people living in Thailand:

• No advance polling for the referendum, although out-of-province and overseas voters may still register for absentee voting.

• Only a simple majority of valid votes is required; the old rule demanding turnout above 50% has been scrapped by the 2025 amendment to the Referendum Act.

• Blank boxes (“no opinion”) will be counted separately and could still spoil the effort if they outnumber the yes-votes.

Where the parties actually stand

In campaign speeches the word “constitution” is everywhere—but the real positions are less clear.

– Pheu Thai, leading the caretaker government, pushes hardest for a Constitution Drafting Assembly elected by the people and has set up a war room to whip up support.– Bhumjaithai says a new charter is the “first door to reform” but repeatedly vows not to touch Chapters 1 and 2 or Section 112, attempting to reassure conservatives.– The rebranded People’s Party (formerly Move Forward) portrays the existing 2017 text as “structural brake pads” on economic competitiveness and calls for maximal public participation.– Democrats hedge: open to an overhaul yet willing to settle for article-by-article tweaks if consensus evaporates.– On the other side, Ruam Thai Sang Chart labels the referendum a “blank cheque” and warns of an elite conspiracy to sneak controversial changes through. Palang Pracharath and the smaller Rak Chat party share similar reservations, although they still urge citizens to cast all three ballots to boost turnout statistics.

The scholar’s plea for transparency

Speaking inside Parliament House this week, political scientist Siripan Noksuan Sawasdee argued that explicit party pledges could galvanize undecided voters. Past elections, she noted, show that when parties “own” an issue—be it cannabis, minimum wage or decentralisation—public interest rises sharply. By contrast, “mumbling about procedure” risks leaving the referendum card blank.

Siripan estimates the drafting process would span about 12 months if the question passes, with piecemeal amendments possible in the meantime. Her bigger worry is legitimacy: turnout below the 2016 charter referendum’s 59% could gift critics an opening to dispute the result, regardless of which side wins.

Reading the public mood

Several recent polls offer a snapshot:

• 90.5 % of Bangkok residents told Bansomdej Poll in January they are aware of the upcoming referendum.• An October NIDA Poll found two-thirds nationwide favour holding the vote alongside the general election, citing convenience.• Yet the same surveys flag concern that the campaign feels “too quiet.” Social-media mentions of the referendum run at less than half the volume generated by the 2023 cannabis debate, according to research firm Wisesight.

Election Commission under the microscope

The EC’s reputation took a dent in 2025 after it scheduled provincial polls on a working Saturday and faced accusations of voter suppression. Commissioners insist new real-time tallying software and 10 000 volunteer observers will deliver “results you can trust” by 23:00 on election night. Still, civil-society watchdogs want additional safeguards, from clearer rules on state resources to faster fact-checking hotlines.

If “yes” wins – what then?

Parliament would set up a 200-member Constitution Drafting Assembly—77 elected by province, the rest chosen proportionally by parties.

Public hearings are slated for every region, with livestreams and e-participation portals promised.

The finished draft would return to voters, probably in early 2027, for a second—and possibly third—referendum as required by the Constitutional Court’s 2021 ruling.

Practical checklist for voters

To make your February 8 as smooth as possible:

• Confirm your name on the roll via the Smart Vote app or local district office.

• Bring your Thai ID card (physical or Digital ID).

• Remember: yellow = referendum, pink/white = MP. Drop them into separate boxes.

• Polling stations open 08:00–17:00 nationwide. Lines tend to shorten after lunch.

• Mark only one box per ballot; stray marks will void your vote.

The bigger picture

For many citizens, the charter question feels less abstract than it did a decade ago. Senate selection, provincial autonomy and even household debt remedies all trace back to constitutional design. That is why observers believe clarity—from parties and election officials alike—could be the decisive variable in Thailand’s latest democratic test. Whether the referendum becomes a footnote or a fresh start will depend, above all, on how many people bother to turn up and tick that yellow card.