Officials tell public not to take photos inside polling booths during referendum
IF YOU want to record your moment taking part in the public referendum this Sunday or want to be a good citizen to capture any likely fraud using your smartphone, think twice.
The Election Commissioner (EC) and Referendum Watch Network have encouraged voters to use their mobile phones to take pictures and send reports of suspicious incidents to help monitor fraud in the poll, but some members of the public are unclear about what they can and cannot do.
Although there are no clear guidelines for referendum watchdogs and observers, EC Commissioner Somchai Srisut-thiyakorn has warned people not to take pictures and use their phones or any communication devices inside polling booths.
He said people can monitor and report incidents only from outside the polling booths.
Voters who want to take selfie photos are not allowed to take them inside polling booths whether they show ballot papers or not, he said.
He emphasised that taking photos of a complete ballot paper or part of one is a crime.
Police officers and polling booth staff will decide if a crime has been committed if a person’s phone rings or there are any unexpected incidents that could be deemed an offence, he said.
People are allowed to monitor the counting process and take pictures of vote results written on boards, he said.
Deputy police spokesman Colonel Krisana Patthanacharoen said selfies taken outside the ballot booths without showing how a person voted is permitted. But he also reiterated that any sign or message implying an intention to influence voters would be a crime and the person would be charged.
If there is confusion about what is allowed, government spokesman Sansern Keawkamnerd said, “Don’t do what you are not sure of. Why risk committing an offence?”
He said voters should strictly abide by the referendum-related laws.
