Bangkok: The Secretary-General of the Council of State has clarified that the ongoing issue regarding "secret balloting" will follow established procedures set by the Election Commission. This statement comes amid questions on the validity and confidentiality of the secret ballot process.
According to Thai News Agency, the Secretary-General of the Council of State, Mr. Pakorn Nilapraphan, expressed concerns over the current controversy related to the interpretation of secret balloting, emphasizing that the matter is under the jurisdiction of the Election Commission. He highlighted the potential for confusion and the adverse effects on public confidence in Thailand's political system, as well as its trade and investment sectors, if the issue is not handled with caution.
Mr. Pakorn raised questions about the responsibility for breaches of confidentiality, asking whether the fault lies with the person who casts the vote or the individual who leaks the information afterward. He further elaborated on the levels of secrecy recognized by government regulations, categorizing documents as "secret," "highly secret," and "top secret," and underscoring the importance of maintaining confidentiality between the sender and receiver.
On the matter of whether the discovery of a confidential issue could lead to invalidation, Mr. Pakorn humorously remarked on the media's frequent publication of official documents, suggesting that such occurrences are not uncommon.