Meanwhile, the Election Commission (EC) will probably recount ballots at a polling station after social media users shared a clip of alleged malpractice in the voting process.

Chompunut Chalieobun, coordinator of We Watch, said the watchdog’s volunteer observers found that six stations in Chachoengsao province counted votes at a coordination centre at the district level rather than at polling stations as stipulated by EC guidelines.

She added that an individual in Phuket voted on behalf of someone else, and staff at a polling station in Bangkok’s Jomthong district did not lock ballot boxes before voters inserted their ballots.

The problem at Jomthong was fixed after observers pointed out the problem, although Chompunut asked, “What would happen if the observers were not there?”

Without identifying the locations, she also said some polling booths were preparing to count votes before 4pm when the stations were scheduled to close. Observers stepped in and asked staff to follow the rules and start counting after 4pm, she said.

In a polling station in Kalasin province, she said, the number of ballots counted was different from the number of people who voted. Staff did not perform a recount, Chompunut said.

She said two stations in Bangkok were moved to different locations without notifying voters and staff at a dozen polling booths did not read aloud the names of voters when they registered as the rules specify.

Staff at many stations, including in Bangkok, did not show the ballots to the public when they were being counted.

Security officers stationed at some polling booths probably influenced voters, the watchdog coordinator said, adding that the public is inclined to question the transparency of the voting process because no domestic agency or group was accredited to observe the referendum.

The EC should have acted neutrally and educated voters on the content of the draft before the vote to promote a free and fair referendum, Chompunut said.

Meanwhile, EC member Somchai Srisutthiyakorn yesterday said |he would ask the commission |to recount votes cast at a polling booth in Muang Phitsanulok district of Phitsanulok province after a social media video clip showed that |staff did not show ballots to |people witnessing the counting process.

Voting guidelines stipulate that polling staff announce the votes and show the ballots to eyewitnesses before forwarding the ballots.