Subdistrict Administrative Organisation Election, 11 January 2026

Floods hit southern Thailand in the final week of November 2025, resulting in one of the worst disasters the region has faced in recent years. Caused by monsoon rains exacerbated by tropical storms, the catastrophe was felt across several Southeast Asian countries (Rawnsley 2025). The latest figures indicate that 185 people were killed in Thailand alone over the course of the flooding (Bakkara & Karmini 2025). Songkhla province bore the brunt of the disaster, accounting for 70% of the total affected households in eight provinces (Nation Thailand 2025a). In response to the crisis, Thai authorities successfully launched extensive rescue operations, deployed military assets and allocated emergency funds. As a result, water and electricity were restored in almost all affected areas (Bakkara & Karmini 2025).

Impact on Electoral Processes 

The candidate registration period for the election of subdistrict administrative organisation  council members and presidents was postponed in four flood-affected provinces in southern Thailand: Songkhla, Satun, Pattani and Narathiwat. The initial period was supposed to run from 1 to 5 December but was rescheduled to 8-12 December 2025. On 11 December 2025, the Secretary-General of the Election Commission traveled to Yale to inspect the registration for local elections emphasizing the need for elections to maintain integrity despite the difficult flood conditions (Thairath Online 2025 Nation Thailand 2025b). The original election date of 11 January 2026 remained unchanged.