EC revises controversial campaign song

The EC explained Monday that the related state agencies had no intention of discriminating against any group of people in the first place, as had been alleged by critics.

It said the revision of the song’s lyrics was “for the public contentment”.

Critics said the original lyrics suggested that people from the North and the Northeast were politically naive or even gullible. The two regions are viewed as main political strongholds of the Shinawatra camp.

EC member Somchai Srisuthiyakorn announced Monday that the revised song has been submitted to the agency and it would be launched Tuesday.

He denied the revision would mean the agency admitted to a fault concerning geographical discrimination. Rather, he added, it cared more about the public sentiment and was willing to do anything to cheer it up.

The revised version still features the four regional dialects but refers to the Thais as a whole rather than as a specific or particular region.

On an anti-charter song by the activist group Resistant Citizen, Somchai said the EC would submit the lyrics containing allegedly untrue information about the constitution to the Constitution Drafting Commission (CDC) to judge. Their verdicts would be heeded before the EC proceed with the legal action against the group, he said.

Besides the untrue messages, the song also include allegedly inappropriate language which opens to debate, Somchai said. For the difficulty in interpretation, he said that in the meantime media would have to make their own judgement whether such lyrics were rude and whether they should broadcast or report them to the public.

He stressed those spreading the message would be held responsible should the Court rule it against the referendum law.