THAILAND — The Election Commission of Thailand, in partnership with Meta and Facebook Thailand, has held a training session on the use of online platforms for political parties and candidates, as the election Commission secretary-general stressed the need to use technology in compliance with election law. He also revealed that the comission E-War Room has received 34 complaints and five video clips, saying offenders can be traced if the activity occurs in Thailand.
On 19 January 2026, at the election Commission office, Mr. Sawang Boonmee, secretary-general of the election Commission of Thailand, stated that the election Commission together with Meta and Facebook Thailand, organised an online training session via Zoom on the use of Meta platforms for the general election of members of the House of Representatives. Executives from Meta and Facebook served as trainers, covering platform use during the election period and advertising standards, including approval criteria for advertisements related to social issues and elections.
He said the election Commission’s two main missions at present are the parliamentary election and the referendum scheduled for 8 February 2026. The increasing role of technology and innovation, he said, highlights the need to apply modern tools to enhance efficiency, transparency and credibility throughout the election and referendum processes.
Mr. Sawang noted that campaigning now takes place through many channels, with electronic platforms, particularly Facebook, increasingly popular for candidate introductions in both constituency and party-list systems. He stressed the need for orderly campaigning and appropriate language in line with Meta and Facebook rules.
On the election Commission’s Electronic Campaign Management Centre, or E-War Room, Mr. Sawang said Facebook has been screening defamatory campaign content even outside election periods, and receives legal guidance during elections to help review content. Coordination has been ongoing to resolve issues swiftly and maintain a fair campaign environment that protects candidates.
The E-War Room has so far received 34 complaint messages and five video clips, which officials are analysing to determine whether they violate the law or election regulations, such as the use of aggressive, violent or abusive language.
As for handling false information, the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society and the police consider whether content should be removed, as some cases originate overseas and may violate Thai law but not foreign law. Discussions are held on a case-by-case basis. However, Mr. Sawang said that if an account is registered in Thailand, authorities can track down those responsible for legal action regardless of where they are located.