Funding allocated for all provinces to stage debates on draft charter

[webfact]

Funding allocated for all provinces to stage debates on draft charter



BANGKOK: -- All 77 provinces across the country have been allocated with 150,000 baht each as a fund to stage debates on the draft constitution within August 3.

Election commissioner Somchai Srisutthiyakorn said on Monday that that the 150,000 baht funding for each province was leftover of the budget originally allocated for the printing of summaries of the draft charter and other documents for distribution to members of the public.

He said that election officials in each province would work out with governors in their respective provinces about whom to be invited for the debates, where and when the debates are to be held and on security matter.

The basic format of the debates is that both the supporters and opponents of the draft charter will be represented in the debates and there will be at least two representatives from each camp in each debate, said Mr Somchai, adding that he expected the National Legislative Assembly will send a member to attend every public debate.

Governor in each province will invite opponents of the draft to attend the debate and if political groups decline to attend, academics and non-governmental organizations will be invited, said the election commissioner.

Each debate will take about three hours and each debate is expected to be attended by about 400 people, said Mr Somchai, adding that people attending the debate will be given chances to ask questions from the floor.

As for vote counting in the referendum, he said that the method would be the same with that practiced in elections – that is votes are to be counted at polling units. Official vote count results are expected in three days.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/173730-2/


-- Thai PBS 2016-07-26

[NongKhaiKid]

Funds to stage debates and ' stage ' may well be the operative word.

[The stuttering parrot]

Yeah have debate and those in the no camp please leave make sure you register your name and address.

[metisdead]

A post commenting on moderation has been removed.

[assayer]

Election commissioner Somchai Srisutthiyakorn said on Monday that that the 150,000 baht funding for each province was leftover of the budget originally allocated for the printing of summaries of the draft charter and other documents for distribution to members of the public.

If my calculator is right that comes to 11,550,000 baht leftover from printing!!

Quite a miscalculation of costs.

[tbthailand]

too little, too late.

"debates" are just strawmen at this point. The junta has oppressed all opposition. Nothing they do will change that.

[keithathome]

More money to go "missing"

[MZurf]

It's 12 days to the referendum and they have now allocated the princely sum of 150000 Baht to each province!!! It's clear that the Junta wants the charter to be vigorously debated!

"Each debate will take about three hours and each debate is expected to be attended by about 400 people"

OK, so 400 people in 77 provinces will take part in debates. That means a whopping 30800 voters out of a total of tens of millions will participate.

And the junta supporters think this is all above board!!