Meechai demands action against distributors of ‘false’ booklet
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The chief charter drafter has said he will speak to the Election Commission (EC) and the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) about possibly taking action against moves to distort the draft charter.
Meechai Ruchupan, chairman of the Constitution Drafting Commission (CDC), said Thursday that copies of a document containing false information about the draft charter is being distributed just one month before the August 7 referendum is held.
He said he was convinced that thousands of copies of this document have been printed and it must have been funded by a certain group of people.
Meechai said he had obtained a copy of the document in question while lecturing at the Government Complex in Nonthaburi, adding that a similar document had also recently been found in Chiang Mai.
CDC spokesman Chatchai Na Chiangmai said Thursday that the drafters asked the EC to investigate after copies of this document were distributed at Chiang Mai University on Monday. He said this action goes against the Referendum Law.
The document in question looks like the booklet produced by the CDC and summarises the draft charter as well as certain points, he said. However, he added, this document also includes information that does not exist in the draft charter.
Udom Rathamarit, another CDC spokesman, confirmed Thursday that the “fake” booklet looked very much like the one released by the CDC, but also carried content that was against the draft charter.
“Its content focuses on the controversial rights and freedom chapter in the charter and other points like the political structure, including the non-MP prime minister," he said, adding that it was more to do with interpretation instead of what the draft charter actually states.
He said the CDC and its chief were concerned that whoever was distributing this “copy” of the CDC booklet “does not have good intentions”.
