Narrowly Defeated Candidate Demands Vote Recount in Huai Yot Sub-District Election

On January 30, 2024, Mr. Prapian Lad-kong, candidate number 1 from the Home Development Team, along with team members and local residents, filed a complaint requesting an investigation into the voting process at Polling Unit 1, Election Zone 4 in Huai Yot Sub-District, Trang Province. Mr. Prapian claimed that the vote counting on January 11 was not transparent. He has requested the Election Commission of Trang Province to investigate the polling committee's conduct, alleging potential fraud and unfairness. He specifically highlighted two major concerns: 1. The vote counter repeatedly announced his votes incorrectly, changing number 1 to number 2, which prompted objections from observers. 2. The vote tally board showed inconsistent markings, with votes for number 1 being marked as number 2 at least twice. Having lost by only 9 votes, Mr. Prapian submitted an official complaint requesting a vote recount. He stated he would accept the final results if a recount confirms his defeat, but currently seeks a fair and transparent process. A local 70-year-old resident, Mr. Luen, expressed concern that these irregularities undermine public confidence in the election system, emphasizing the importance of transparent and verifiable vote counting.