2016 referendum
13 Aug 2016
In an interview with Prachatai following the constitutional referendum, Nidhi Eoseewong maintained that the results were due to the lack of free and open debate and criticism. Many people consequently made what seemed the easy choice giving the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) a sort of split legitimacy: While Thais may accept the results, it will be difficult to claim legitimacy with the international community where the process has been seen as unjust from the start. Despite the referendum result, he holds out hope for democracy future.
11 Aug 2016
Despite the junta’s attempt to restrict criticism of the regime-backed draft charter, a public poll conducted in northeastern Thailand, the Isaan region, shows that Isaan people are still hostile to the military regime.
11 Aug 2016
A politician in the northern Thailand has been detained for spreading letters allegedly distorting the junta-sponsored draft charter’s content although the referendum has already ended.
11 Aug 2016
The Thai junta leader has said that the notorious Section 44 of the Interim Charter, which gives the regime absolute power, is still necessary to comfort people.
10 Aug 2016
The Election Commission of Thailand (ECT) has refused to recount ballots after the August 7 draft charter referendum despite reports of various polling irregularities.
10 Aug 2016
People from various backgrounds who voted ‘yes’ in last Sunday’s referendum revealed to Prachatai that they want the country to move “forwards” even though they have read very little, if anything, of the actual draft.
10 Aug 2016
The Thai military have intimidated an environmental activist who is calling for the nullification of the result of the referendum on the junta-backed draft charter, saying the referendum was unfair.
Srisuwan Janya, Secretary-General of a political group called the Association to Protect the Thai Constitution (APTC), posted a message on his FB account at 9:19 am on Tuesday, 9 August 2016, reporting that several soldiers in uniform again visited his house in Bangkok.
10 Aug 2016
(New York, August 10, 2016) – The new constitution approved in Thailand’s August 7, 2016 referendum strengthens and prolongs military control of the government, Human Rights Watch said today. The vote followed a crackdown by the ruling National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) against “Vote No” campaigners and others opposed to the proposed charter.
“The Thai junta’s campaign of repression against opponents of the proposed constitution ensured that the referendum wouldn’t be fair,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch.
9 Aug 2016
Relatively transparent polling practices on the day of the August 2016 referendum are unlikely to compensate for the distortion to results caused by a repressive pre-polling environment, said foreign polling observers.
In a press release on Tue
9 Aug 2016
A well-known anti-junta activist from Isaan, Thailand’s northeast, arrested one day before the referendum, has vowed not to request bail and to go on hunger strike to point out the broken justice system in Thailand.
The Provincial Court of the northeastern province of Chaiyaphum on Monday, 8 August 2016, granted permission to the police to detain Chaturapat Boonyapatraksa, 25, and Wasin Prommanee, 20, youth activists from the New Democracy Movement (NDM).
9 Aug 2016
The resounding rejection of the junta-sponsored constitution by the Muslim majority in the restive Deep South reflects people’s attitudes towards the legitimacy of the military regime and disapproval of the draft charter. Experts point out both the regime and the charter are viewed as threats against the region’s unique ethno-religious identity.
8 Aug 2016
The Chair of the Constitution Drafting Committee said the first general election under the junta-backed constitution, recently passed by referendum, might be held in early 2018 despite the junta’s strong promise that elections would at all costs be held in 2017.
On Sunday, 7 August 2016, after the “Yes Vote” claimed a clear victory in the referendum, Meechai Ruchupan, Chair of Constitution Drafting Committee, told the media that the first general election under the new constitution was expected to be held in late 2017.
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