While the State's obligation to ensure accommodation and assistance for persons with disabilities (PWDs) to vote is guaranteed under the law in Thailand, the right of PWDs to participate in all aspects of the election is yet to be realized.

This is what the Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) found in its research on the legal measures concerning the rights of PWDs to participate in the election under the Organic Act on the Election of Members of Parliament B.E. 2561 (2018).

The research found that the law does not contain any provision that would extend the protection of the rights of PWDs during pre- and post-election. The law only focuses on the right of PWDs to participate on election day as mandated in Section 92. There are also several challenges in the implementation in the form of direct and indirect discrimination which prevent PWDs from enjoying their rights.

The research put together possible solutions to help Thailand fully realize the rights of PWDs to participate in the election that is at par with international standards under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the ASEAN Enabling Masterplan 2025: Mainstreaming the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

The research was made possible through the generous support from the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) and the General Election Network for Disability Access (AGENDA).

Download report here: ANFREL Research Report on PWD Participation in Election in Thailand