EC and army continue effort to encourage turnout for public referendum



BANGKOK, 15 June 2016 (NNT) – The Election Commission (EC) and the Royal Thai Army have passed down policy to volunteer reserve forces and military units on publicizing the public referendum on the draft charter.

EC member Prawich Rattanaphien, joined by Deputy Commander of the Army Gen Chalermchai Sitthisat, explained policies for publicizing the public referendum to a gathering of volunteer reserve officers and commanding officers tapped to aid in the effort to make sure the process is understood by the public.

Prawich remarked that volunteer reserve officers will serve an important role in helping the EC reach its turnout goal. He stated that the last referendum in 2007 saw a voter turnout of only 50 percent, urging all involved to help the vote coming up on August 7 achieve a higher rate.

Gen Chalermchai said that opposition to the referendum may result in saboteurs turning out on the day, bidding military commanders prepare to protect polling stations while also reminding them to handle the event with care for the law to ensure citizens are confident in taking part.

-- NNT 2016-06-15

Haha, when Suthep and co were disrupting genuine elections, these jokers were nowhere to be seen. I doubt anyone would want to disrupt the referendum, and a turnout higher than 50% would almost certainly lead to a no vote, unless they cheat.

80% at least, they said so.

"EC and army continue effort to encourage turnout for public referendum"

​Surely encouraging people to vote is against the law because the army are subversively influencing people to vote yes.

In a different out come in a different country, the Army threw out a distinguished reservist soldier, who is also a member of Federal Parliament, and is polling for votes in his electorate in the up coming elections , because he is not allowed to bring the military into politics , the military warned him twice to take the banners down showing him in uniform , he refused , so they dismissed him from the reserve, the OZ military are non political, political neutral, after much social media abuse the liberal ticket took the banners down, something you could only dream about in Thailand. ...........................................

What a joke! By throttling healthy and no doubt robust debate on the referendum they have succeeded in quelling any interest in it. What the junta fails to understand is that people cannot be bored into participation by nightly television broadcasts of unintertesting content as well as restrictive regulation of freedom of expression. Democracy is a messy and at times debilitating process, not the outcome of mechanistic processes and threats to personal opinion.

In a different out come in a different country, the Army threw out a distinguished reservist soldier, who is also a member of Federal Parliament, and is polling for votes in his electorate in the up coming elections , because he is not allowed to bring the military into politics , the military warned him twice to take the banners down showing him in uniform , he refused , so they dismissed him from the reserve, the OZ military are non political, political neutral, after much social media abuse the liberal ticket took the banners down, something you could only dream about in Thailand. ...........................................

USA policy seems less rigorous as military personnel can engage in politics but does impose limits.

http://www.politicalcampaigningtips.com/candidates-wearing-military-uniforms-in-political-campaign-ads/