The election committee of Bangkok has rejected the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship's (UDD) request to dispatch 10,000 volunteers to observe the March 3 Bangkok governor election inside polling units.
The request was submitted to the Election Commission and the election committee of Bangkok on Wednesday.
Taweesak Tuchinda, chairman of the Bangkok election committee, said the law does not allow outsiders inside polling units.
Those who want to observe the election can do so from the outside, he said.
However, election candidates can appoint one representative to observe the election at each of the 6,548 polling units throughout Bangkok.
The candidates are required to submit the list of their representatives to the election committee by Feb 20.
Those who enter an election unit without permission are liable to be arrested by police for violating the Local Election Act of 2002, Pol Lt Gen Taweesak said.