UDD defies junta by opening plebiscite fraud-monitoring centre

The UDD said the centre, located at its main office at the Imperial Lat Phrao department store in Bangkok, aims to help the Election Commission observe whether the junta’s volunteer trainers commit referendum fraud.

It plans to open the centre’s nationwide branches on June 20.

[Referendum explained]

Yesterday’s press conference to announce the launch was observed by many police and military officers. Prior to the conference, the UDD chairman. Jatuporn Promphan, was asked by security commander Second Lieutenant Sunthon Yoddee not to hold it.

In rebuffing the request, Jatuporn cited Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha’s earlier comment that the centre is allowed as long as it monitors all sides including itself. He reiterated that the centre is not aimed at opposing the junta.

The event was attended by other UDD figures such as Nattawut Saikua, Thida Thavornseth and Veerakarn Musikapong. Former parliament president Yongyut Tiyapairat was also present.

The National Council for Peace and Order spokesman Colonel Winthai Suvaree said the centre should not have opened because it would confuse the public on the referendum process. 

“For now, people should cooperate with [the junta’s] road map,” Winthai said “People should express creative opinions and not anticipate anything that could create stirs.”

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said the referendum date, set for August 7, was fixed as per the interim charter, the referendum bill, the EC, and the NCPO’s road map to democracy.

Wissanu’s explanation came amid concerns that the date could be affected if the Constitutional Court rules that the second paragraph of Article 61 in the referendum bill violates the interim charter’s guarantee of freedom of expression.

The paragraph prohibits dissemination of untrue, provocative, vulgar and intimidating messages through print and electronic media or other channels that could incite unrest.

The Internet Law Reform Dialogue petitioned the matter to the Ombudsman, who last week ruled that the article could be deemed in violation of the current charter. The Ombudsman will submit the petition to the court this morning after a final review.

Office of the Ombudsman secretary-general and spokesman Raksakecha Chaechay insisted that the move should not debunk the whole bill, as his office would propose for reconsideration only the controversial paragraph.

The UDD today will file a petition with the Constitutional Court, asking it to complete the ruling on the paragraph within seven days.

Elimination of the paragraph, as proposed by the National Reform Steering Assembly’s political reform committee chairman Seri Suwanpanon, is possible but is not necessary at this time because the Ombudsman has not yet made a proposal to the court, Wissanu said.

Wissanu will join the EC and the Constitution Drafting Commission to explain the referendum in Nakhon Si Thammarat on Saturday. 

Meanwhile, former Democrat MP Wilas Chantarapitak proposed that the junta government should exercise the interim charter’s powerful Article 44 to eliminate the paragraph, as it could lead to more open public expression on the charter draft.

Democrat deputy leader Ongart Klampaiboon believed that the Constitutional Court ruling on the paragraph would not scrap the referendum but could result in its postponement. Should Article 61 be debunked, Ongart said that conflicts should still be preventable, as there were other laws to curb inflammatory situations, such as the bills on public assembly and computer crime, and also the NCPO’s orders.

Ongart urged the EC and the CDC to provide mutual clarity on what activities were allowed and not allowed regarding the referendum to prevent public confusion.

In a related development, EC Commissioner Somchai Srisutthiyakorn revealed that his office had prepared secret, special- colour-combination referendum ballots to counter possible fake ballots. 

Different colours will be used on the ballots of the charter draft and those on the additional referendum question.