PM Prayut unworried about upcoming public referendum

BANGKOK, 29 June 2016 (NNT) – The Prime Minister is not worried about the upcoming public referendum even as the Constitutional Court continues to review a clause in the referendum law, which may be in violation of the interim charter.

Prime Minister Gen. Prayut Chan-o-cha said that other parts of the Public Referendum Act remain valid and will allow the referendum process to take place, even if the Constitutional Court finds the clause, that the Office of Ombudsman has requested be reviewed, to be in violation of the 2015 Provisional Constitution.

Gen. Prayut added that there will also be no need for him to invoke Section 44 of the interim charter to pass any new law to make the public referendum on the new draft Constitution happen.

When asked what should happen if the draft charter does not pass the referendum, the PM said that such a decision is up to the people but the government has a way-out ready.

-- NNT 2016-06-29

Just give him time to construct one but dont ask the same question again

"but the government has a way-out ready" That is a bit spine chilling if not totally ominous. Being ominous is sort of his gift.

Well I don't think anybody knows what's in the proposed charter anyway. How is it going to be assessed. People are not allowed to discuss it really, as they are not allowed to express an opinion.

If the new charter is not approved then there is a way out planned. Serious problem I think.

No surprises here guy's, it's all happened before.

Coup, promise election in a year, then new constitution, vote not passed, stay in power, promise election next year, tweaked constitution, vote, not passed, stay in power, election, what election? re-re-tweaked constitution, stay in power, and repeat as needed.

Of course he's not worried, because if the Referendum fails, he can delay again and stay in power another 3 years while yet another Constitution is written.

“…if the draft charter does not pass the referendum … the government has a way-out ready…”

I’m sure Prayut would choose to remind us that, just as “Rome wasn’t built in a day”, Thailand will need lots more time to follow his roadmap AND ensure that everyone is happy.

But, we also need to be reminded that, in Rome too, Nero sought to keep the people happy, but this did not prevent it burning in 64 AD.

Rather than fiddling with freedom of speech and threatening to "eliminate" an unsympathetic media, Prayut needs to nurture the growing flame of democracy if he is to avoid a conflagration (far greater than Nero's) from engulfing Thailand.

A man with an army behind him and no scruples about using it is unlikely to be worried by anything greater than premature hair loss.

Is the new Constitution available gor viewing anywhere?

Is the new Constitution available gor viewing anywhere?

amdy2206

You can gain some insight of its contents from http://www.parliament.go.th/ewtcommittee/ewt/draftconstitution2/more_news.php?cid=64.

If you can read Thai, then try http://www.constitutionnet.org/vl/item/2016-draft-constitution-thailand-thai

Hope this helps.

Hobbes, it's just Hobbes. We need to know who is in control, then we can get on with our lives.