On 19 January 2014, His Excellency Mr. Tharit Charungvat, Ambassador of Thailand to the Republic of Turkey attended the overseas general election at the Thai Trade Center, Istanbul.

  Out of  419 Thai nationals that registered for the right to overseas voting in Turkey, a total of 62 Thai Nationals cast their ballots in Istanbul.  The same exercise will be held for other Thais in Ankara on Sunday 26 January 2014. Thais in other regions of Turkey can also cast their votes by registered mail should it not be convenient for them to go to Istanbul and Ankara.

On the same day, the Thai community in Istanbul also elected a new President of the Thai community in Istanbul, with Mr. Janla Srikum, Head chef at Vogue restaurant received the highest number of votes and made him the new President of the Thai community in Istanbul.