Apichart JinakulThe Office of the Ombudsman has approved a request by the Election Commission (EC) to extend the deadline for submitting clarifications and supporting documents regarding the controversial use of barcodes and QR codes on ballot papers. If the EC fails to meet the new deadline, the Ombudsman will proceed based on the available evidence. The Ombudsman's Office received a letter from the EC seeking an additional seven days beyond the original Feb 23 deadline. Under the Organic Act on the Ombudsman, the office ordered the EC to submit its clarification and evidence by Feb 27. In a separate post, Prinya Thaewanarumitkul, a law lecturer at Thammasat University, proposed the EC hold a mock election to prove whether barcodes compromise ballot secrecy.

Source: Bangkok Post February 21, 2026 23:40 UTC