Supachai Counters Vissanu on Election Ballot Barcode, Argues No Secrecy Violation

On February 19, 2024, Supachai Chaisamut, a list MP candidate and Bhumjaithai Party legal working group chairman, posted on Facebook addressing concerns raised by former Deputy Prime Minister Vissanu Kruengam about potential voting secrecy issues due to barcodes on election ballots. Supachai argued that the 2017 Constitution requires elections to be 'direct and secret', which means no system can link an individual to their vote, but does not prohibit codes or markings. He explained that the barcodes, supervised by the Election Commission, are meant to control ballot quantities, prevent forgery, and manage polling units without connecting to voter lists or tracking individual votes. Supachai emphasized that declaring an election 'void' requires severe fundamental violations with clear evidence, not just technical suspicions. He noted that even if people might guess which party someone might support, the actual voting occurs privately in the ballot booth, making the vote's secrecy legally intact.