- Title: Thailand kicks off distribution of draft constitution ahead of referendum
- Date: 25th May 2016
- Summary: BANGKOK, THAILAND (MAY 25, 2016) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** PEOPLE STANDING AROUND AN ARCHWAY IN FRONT OF GOVERNMENT COMPLEX CHAIRMAN OF THAILAND'S ELECTION COMMISSION, SUPACHAI SOMCHAROEN, CUTTING RIBBON ACROSS ARCHWAY OFFICIALS, PEOPLE WALKING THROUGH ARCHWAY WAVING FLAGS SUPACHAI WAVING ELECTION COMMISSION FLAG / STANDING NEXT TO MONKEY MASCOT SUPACHAI WAVING TRUCK ON / TRUCK LEAVING HANDS WAVING FLAGS READING (Thai): "AUGUST 7", THE DATE OF AN UPCOMING REFERENDUM TRUCKS LEAVING ELECTION COMMISSION OFFICIALS SMILING, WAVING TRUCKS ON TRUCKS LEAVING MEDIA SURROUNDING ELECTION COMMISSIONER, PRAVICH RATANAPIAN (SOUNDBITE) (Thai) MEMBER OF THE ELECTION COMMISSION, PRAVICH RATANAPIAN, SAYING: "We still have 74 days for the campaign to get as many people as possible out (to vote). We are sure there will be more people that come out than the 57 percent seen in 2007." PEOPLE STANDING IN LOBBY PEOPLE SITTING IN MEETING ROOM MASCOT ON STAGE HOLDING MOCK BALLOT BOX / ELECTION COMMISSIONERS HOLDING UP REFERENDUM CARDS ELECTION COMMISSIONERS DROPPING CARDS INTO MOCK BALLOT BOX GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS APPLAUDING (SOUNDBITE) (Thai) CHAIRMAN OF THE ELECTION COMMISSION, SUPACHAI SOMCHAROEN, SAYING: "I would like to urge all the eligible voters to study every issue of the draft constitution. Please prepare yourself. Don't let anyone manipulate you." PEOPLE ON STAGE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS QUEUING UP ON STAGE TO GET DRAFT CONSTITUTION FROM THE ELECTION COMMISSION HANDS HOLDING DRAFT CONSTITUTION VARIOUS OF PEOPLE READING DRAFT CONSTITUTION COVER OF DRAFT CONSTITUTION BANGKOK, THAILAND (MAY 22, 2016) (REUTERS) ACTIVISTS HOLDING BANNER READING (Thai): "AUGUST 7, LET'S VOTE NO" VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS MARCHING WHILE HOLDING BANNERS AND PLACARDS POLICEMEN STANDING IN FRONT OF DEMOCRACY MONUMENT VARIOUS OF PEOPLE PUTTING MOCK REFERENDUM CARDS INTO MOCK BALLOT BOX
- Embargoed: 9th June 2016 10:29
- Keywords: Thailand distribute referendum democracy constitution draft consitution coup military junta
- Location: BANGKOK, THAILAND
- City: BANGKOK, THAILAND
- Country: Thailand
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0014JB2HJ9
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Thailand's election commission on Wednesday (May 25) launched the distribution of a draft constitution to the public ahead of an August referendum.
The referendum will be Thailand's first nationwide ballot since the military and junta chief Prayuth Chan-ocha seized power two years ago in a bloodless coup, following months of political unrest.
The government says the charter will lay the foundations of a stable democracy. Critics say it will enshrine military power in public life for years to come, herald weak governments and exacerbate a decade of bitter political division.
The junta has imposed restrictions on debating the draft, an additional gag to potential critics who have been banned from political activity since the May 2014 coup. The government is confident the charter will be approved.
The commission expects 80 percent of over 50 million eligible voters to vote in the referendum.
"We still have 74 days for the campaign to get as many people as possible out (to vote). We are sure there will be more people that come out than the 57 percent seen in 2007," said Prawit Rattanapien, a member of the election commission.
Around 100,000 military cadets and 300 Buddhist monks will be enlisted from mid-June to visit towns and villages country wide, to discuss the charter and encourage people to vote, said Rattanapian.
During the launch, the chairman of the election commission urged voters to study the draft carefully. "Please prepare yourself. Don't let anyone manipulate you," he said.
The charter calls for an appointed upper house, with some seats reserved for the military and police. The junta says this is needed to smooth a five-year "transitional period" before full civilian rule is restored.
Last week, on the two year anniversary of the coup, a group of activists urged people to "vote no" during the referendum, saying the constitution was undemocratic.
Thailand has been politically divided for more than a decade. The split broadly pits supporters of the governments ousted in 2006 and 2014 coups against the military, the bureaucracy, and the middle class that support the royalist elite. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2016. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None