The political map of Thailand is changing: parliamentary elections and constitutional referendum in February 2026

Thailand stands at the brink of political transformation. In February 2026, not only are parliamentary elections being held, but a constitutional referendum is also underway, which could pave the way for a fundamental change to the constitution in effect since 2017. These two processes will shape the country’s political landscape for years to come.

Large voter and party mobilization

The parliamentary vote began on February 8 at 8:00 AM local time and lasted until 5:00 PM. The scale of the electoral process is well illustrated by data from the Thai Election Commission: as many as 57 political parties are competing for 500 seats in the lower house, with over 90 candidates running for the position of prime minister. This number of parties shows how fragmented the Thai political landscape is and the ambitions many smaller groups harbor.

Schedule: from voting to the formation of a new government

Official vote counting must be completed by April 9. After this deadline, the process of forming new authorities begins — the newly elected parliament is required to convene its first session within 15 days to elect the speaker of the house. Then, within the same legislative period, the parliament will vote on the selection of a new prime minister. This sequence of events demonstrates a coordinated timetable for the transfer of power.

Constitutional referendum: a step toward reforming the fundamental law

Alongside the parliamentary elections, Thailand is conducting a constitutional referendum to decide whether to authorize the parliament to initiate the process of amending the constitution. For Thailand, this is a pivotal moment — the current constitution, established by the military in 2017, could potentially be replaced by a document drafted by democratically elected representatives. This process would mark a departure from the previous constitutional order and open the possibility for a thorough reform of the political system, which has been advocated for many years by pro-democracy movements and civil society.