Freedom of expression sought ahead of Thai referendum

By Max Constant

BANGKOK

Thailand’s junta has been urged to respect freedom of expression ahead of a referendum on a new military-sponsored draft constitution that would allow security forces to exert indirect control for at least five years after the election of a new government.

A respected academic and human rights defender told Anadolu Agency on Tuesday that civil society activists and politicians from all sides of the political spectrum had gathered at an unauthorized meeting Monday to call for the public’s voice to be heeded.

“Our first point is that freedom of expression be fully respected, because we need to have all the elements in order to take a decision at the referendum,” said Gothom Arya, an adviser to Mahidol University’s Institute of Human Rights and Peace Studies and a key participant in the meeting.

Mahidol -- a public research university -- is one of Bangkok's most prestigious educational institutions.

“The junta must also clearly indicate what will happen if the draft charter does not pass the referendum, otherwise we are confused about what will be the situation,” he added.

Junta chief-cum-Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has said that if the draft is rejected in the Aug. 7 referendum, he would decide how to move forward -- without providing any more details.

“In the case [the draft charter is rejected], it is I who will have the power to decide what to do. Do you understand the word ‘power’? It is I who will decide whether to tell,” he responded to reporters in one of his customary outbursts April 11.

Earlier this month, the junta decided to dispatch to the kingdom’s 77 provinces thousands of “volunteers” from the health ministry and other government agencies to “explain” to the people the “correct content of the draft charter”.

“The military are extremely sensitive to everything pertaining to security and order. They think that debate and public expression of opinions can lead to disorder,” Arya told Anadolu Agency Tuesday.

“But they must also understand that we are citizens, not rank soldiers,” he said.

“In a democratic society, all these debates are part of the game. But the junta wants a ‘guided democracy’. The playing field is not leveled,” he underlined.

“It is not a fair process.”

All public debates on the referendum have been banned, including Monday’s gathering which convened against the order of Deputy Prime Minister Gen. Prawit Wongsuwan, who also serves as defense minister.

“There might be confrontations and conflicts between opposing sides if they are allowed to freely express their views on the draft charter,” he said last week.

“If you want to speak, just speak in your own circles. No publicity is allowed,” he added.

Plainclothes police officers had kept close watch of Monday’s meeting, which was attended by 105 civil society activists, academics and politicians from the rival Puea Thai and Democrat parties.

Puea Thai party leader Yingluck Shinawatra -- whose government was overthrown in a May 2014 coup -- called on supporters to reject the draft in a Facebook post earlier this month.

If the draft charter passes the referendum, elections -- the first since months of demonstrations led to the May 22, 2014 coup -- are planned for the end of 2017.

The draft, however, has been widely criticized for weakening the influence of elected politicians, in that it allows for the appointment by the junta of a 250-member senate and a non-elected outsider to be chosen as premier.

The senate -- in which six seats would be reserved for armed forces and police chiefs -- would have a five-year term and the lower house a four-year term.

It also cements in place a 20-year 25-member national strategy committee, which will be entitled to survey government policies and have them changed if they diverge from reforms envisioned by the junta.