Myanmar citizens residing abroad are facing pressure from military-controlled embassies to complete Form 15 advance voting ballots. The military council has announced plans to hold Phase 1 of general elections in 102 townships on December 28, with overseas advance voting scheduled between August 21 and September 8. According to the military council’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announcement, eligible voters abroad are being urged to return completed Form 15 documents to their respective embassies within this timeframe.
Myanmar students and workers in Thailand have expressed complete disinterest in participating in the military council’s election. However, they are concerned about potential coercion when dealing with embassy-related documentation. Migrant worker rights activists have warned that while workers have no voluntary interest in voting, they may face pressure to complete voting forms when seeking necessary documentation from embassies. The military council has announced plans to hold elections in phases until January 2026, but Myanmar citizens abroad view these elections as illegitimate.
A Myanmar student studying in Thailand has explicitly stated their complete lack of trust in the military that seized power and their unwillingness to participate in their elections. There are widespread concerns among Myanmar people abroad about the military council’s embassies potentially using documentation requirements as leverage to force participation in the voting process. The situation highlights the ongoing tension between the military council’s attempts to legitimize its rule through elections and the resistance of Myanmar citizens abroad who reject the military’s authority and refuse to participate in what they view as an illegitimate electoral process.
