Election Commission encourages turnout for referendum

Chutharat Plerin

Mr Kittipong said the Phuket Election Committee hopes to get 80 per cent voter turnout over the constitutional referendum. Photo: Klonglephy Keam

PHUKET: A government-backed campaign is trying to raise public awareness in Phuket ahead of the August 7 vote on a new draft constitution.

Phuket Election Commission (PEC) director Kittipong Thiengkunagrit said this week that his office is encouraging an estimated 297,000 voter turnout for the referendum, put forward by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) through the Constitution Draft Commission.

An unofficial English translation of the draft constitution is available here.

“As part of the Election Commission of Thailand, it is our responsibility to make sure the voting is trustful and fair,” Mr Kittipong told the Phuket Gazette. “Each province has its own committee, chaired by its provincial governor, to ensure fairness. Our goal is to get at least 80 per cent of eligible voters to cast their ballots.”

Thai nationals and naturalized Thai citizens aged 18 years and over (who have had at least 5 years of Thai citizenship) are eligible to vote in the referendum, as long as they were born before August 9, 1998 and have been residents of their polling location for at least 90 days.

Full story: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Election-Commission-encourages-turnout-referendum/65252?desktopversion

-- Phuket Gazette 2016-07-23

If they are not going to be paid - they will not vote.