Politician detained for allegedly distorting draft charter's content

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.  
 
On Thursday, 11 August 2016, Watana Muangsook, an embattled Pheu Thai politician, posted on his Facebook page that Rangsan Maneerat, a Pheu Thai politician in the northern province of Lamphun, was arrested from his house in Lamphun and was later detained at the 11th Military Circle in Bangkok.
 
According to Watana, the military used Article 44 of the Interim Charter to arrest Rangsan, alleging that he disseminated letters distorting the draft charter’s content. 
 
The letters, which have so far led to arrests of more than 10 people, were widely spread to various provinces in northern Thailand during the early August. The letters told voters to reject the junta-backed draft charter in the 7 August referendum since it would remove fundamental rights and welfare of Thai citizens including free high-school education, old age pension, and universal healthcare.   
 
On 4 August, the MIlitary Court in the northern province of Chiang Mai granted the police permission to remand in custody 10 people including Pheu Thai politicians for the similar allegation as Rangsan. The court also denied requests to grant 100,000-200,000 baht bail for the 10, reasoning that they might tamper with the evidence.
 
 
Rangsan Manirat (source: Radio Parliament)

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