Referendum fever grips social media
The August 7 referendum on the constitution draft is only 15 days away. A lot of eligible voters over the past week have received letters from the Election Commission informing them about the voting venues and procedures. In the meantime, social media use
On the pantip.com webboard, many topics have been posted including, “What will we get from the national referendum?” “What will be the consequences if we fail to vote?” “I haven’t received the confirmation letter for absentee voting, what should I do?”
On Facebook, Somluck Srimalee posted a picture of the booklet with key points of the constitution draft and wrote: “Got it finally. I’ve been waiting for so long.”
She had often in the past shared the www.parliament.go.th link for friends who wanted to study the constitution draft.
On Twitter, @bkksnow wrote: “For this referendum, the people have campaigned and shared information more than the EC [Election Commission]. It’s not worth the Bt3 billion budget.”
The EC’s website is www.ect.go.th.
Besides the mainstream media, which summarised, discussed and explained the issues related to the charter draft, the website Prachamati.org was launched in May by NGOs Internet Law Reform Dialogue (iLaw), online newspaper Prachatai, Thaipublica news agency and the Institute of Human Rights and Peace Studies. They allow people to express their opinions on the constitution draft. Also on its Facebook page, it gives information about the referendum.
@way_magazine also shared @iLawclub’s cartoons explaining the “additional question” on the power of senators in the transitional period.
@xing9519007: “We should study the charter draft first, Exo [music band] can wait.”
@eveiseve: “The referendum day is drawing near. I still don’t know the pros and cons clearly. I don’t know what will be the consequences either way. I studied [the charter draft] but I’m still confused.”
@vora1000: “The referendum will have an impact on the legal cases of cheaters.”
@ppjungsis: “I don’t know which way I should vote in the referendum. Neither is good.”
@kwangbenotdeer: “I and my mother have started to quarrel on the referendum.”
@poppy_kung: “We received the letter on the national referendum. Once my father started talking on politics, I just picked up the food and went to my room.”
@chanittha3: “I want to vote in the referendum.”
@Giftsdwc: “Actually I registered for the absentee vote at almost midnight on the last day. Lucky that my dad told me to.”
@GuGlang: “It’s too late now. I cannot cast an absentee vote.”
@zc_mezo: “The referendum is on August 7, do I need to go home [in provinces]? Will my mom let me?”
@i_uppum: “[The charter draft] is so complicated. But please don’t be tired of reading. I think the media have hardly promoted this issue.”
She also wrote to her friends: “There will be an election shortly. But we have to vote in the referendum first before we know if there will be an election. Hahaha.”
@Spicy_DP: “Right, our peers have never voted since we were 18. I prefer money. Can I skip the referendum? Hahaha... I prefer an election.”
@P_patana: “Were the kids to be blamed for ripping the referendum document? I don’t want to write this but who should be responsible for keeping the documents?”
@JanewitC: “Black comedy – police charged two eight-year-old girls for ripping off the eligible voters’ name list. They confessed that the pink paper was so attractive.”
@Mnakin: “Some adults who ripped the constitution got power, but the kids who ripped the eligible voters’ name list could face jail term, one friend said.”
