Listen to this articleElection Commission officials count ballots at a polling station during Myanmar's general election in Yangon, Myanmar, December 28, 2025. For Myanmar migrants, students and journalists in Thailand, the vote is seen not merely as flawed but as a carefully managed performance designed to legitimise continued military rule. Voting under fearA 26‑year‑old Myanmar university student studying in Thailand also refused to vote at the embassy. While Bangkok has framed the move as constructive engagement, Myanmar interviewees say observation alone cannot fix a fundamentally broken process. "Some Myanmar people who went to vote know the process is deeply flawed," he said, "but they still hope for change, even if it is only slight".

Source: Bangkok Post January 20, 2026 22:20 UTC