Bangkok: Thailand's new Election Commission (EC) Chairman, Narong Klanwarin, announced that the general election could potentially be held on February 8, 2026, following the House of Representatives' dissolution by the Prime Minister.
According to Thai News Agency, Narong, who has recently assumed leadership of the election body, stated that the EC is fully prepared to manage the upcoming election. A meeting is scheduled for next week to officially set the election date. "By law, when the House is dissolved, the Election Commission must meet to set the election date," Narong conveyed to reporters. He further mentioned that the commission plans to convene on December 15-16 to finalize the decision.
The Election Commission had anticipated the possibility of a House dissolution and had preemptively prepared the constituency boundaries and a comprehensive election timeline. Narong indicated that February 8, 2026, is a strong candidate for the polling date.
In response to inquiries about whether the ongoing situation on the Thai-Cambodian border might affect the general election, Narong assured that the EC is closely monitoring and preparing for any developments in the region.
This announcement follows Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul's decision to dissolve the House on Thursday, effectively ending the minority coalition government. This action has initiated a new election process, which must occur within a constitutional timeframe of no less than 45 days and no more than 60 days.