EC trains teachers to aid in publicizing public referendum

BANGKOK, 17 May 2016 – The Election Commission (EC) has organized training for teachers on the public referendum system so that they can help inform their students, while the deputy prime minister has stated political parties will be given a chance to voice their views on the draft charter.

Deputy Prime Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwan has given his view that the current draft charter should pass public referendum but noted that if it does not, the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) will form a new drafting committee that will adapt past constitutions to make sure that the nation can continue on to general elections. He has asked fellow Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Kreau-ngam to review legal ways to have political parties voice their opinions on the draft charter so that they can join in a panel discussion with the Constitution Drafting Committee and the EC.

Meanwhile, the EC has held a training session for teachers on the public referendum process so that they can help in publicizing it to the public. The Commission is targeting an 80 percent turnout for the vote with no more than one third of ballots cast to be considered mis-votes. The body will following the work of the teachers after the training to track public awareness as well as to review opposition to the draft charter.


-- NNT 2016-05-17

"The Commission is targeting an 80 percent turnout for the vote with no more than one third of ballots cast to be considered mis-votes."

Good luck.

The Election Commission (EC) has organized training for teachers on the public referendum system so that they can help inform their students

How many students are eligible to vote? Or is this just being done to improve "the understanding" of students?

"...review legal ways to have political parties voice their opinions on the draft charter" Repeat after me: "We love it! We love it!"

One more opportunity for indoctrination. Actual honest discussion about merits and shortcomings of charter would be a prime example of when critical thinking skills (which dear leader is said to encourage) could be honed, but that would land various parties in the slammer.

80 percent turnout for the vote with no more than one third of ballots cast to be considered mis-votes.

Presumably a vote against would count as a mis-vote

You would have thought given their performance in teaching stuff they are supposed to know about, almost any other group of people would have been preferred for this task!

Taxi drivers for instance, real estate agents probably have the necessary skills, plastic surgeons might be good at putting a nice face on it, used car salesmen - perfect. Why on earth choose teachers?