‘Fake’ charter draft reports meant to discredit politicians: Pheu Thai

The party’s caretaker deputy spokesman Anusorn Iam-saard urged the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) and Election Commission (EC) to check the claim that “fake” charter drafts were circulated in Chiang Mai.
“The NCPO and the EC have full authority to take action if there is any wrongdoing. They should not publicise the issue to discredit the political sector. Sparking such issues regardless of whether it was done with intent or not is like using a low-cost evil tactic of old politics to destroy the referendum atmosphere,” he said.
He said politicians did not need to produce fake drafts because they believe voters have decided whether they would reject or accept the draft.
Former foreign minister Noppadon Pattama indirectly rejected the allegation that some capitalists were behind the production of “fake” charter drafts to scuttle the referendum.

‘Who will benefit?’
He levelled five questions: Why was the fake charter draft not revealed publicly or were they just different opinions on the draft? Has the government identified the capitalists allegedly backed production of the fake drafts, as is a lot of money needed to fund such production? Why has the government not allowed supporters and opponents of the draft to debate their differences instead of publicising the fake drafts? Who would benefit from the referendum being scuttled and who has power to scuttle the referendum if not the government, which has power and all needed resources? Who would benefit from political turmoil – is Thailand in political turmoil, or is it just a rhetorical statement?
Election Commissioner Somchai Srisuthiyakorn, meanwhile, said the Constitution Drafting Commission (CDC) had to determine if documents on charter draft distributed to voters by the New Democracy Movement (NDM) students conveyed false statements.
“The CDD has to point out which pages and which lines carry false statements and report to us. We are ready to take legal action immediately,’’ he said.

Not vulgar
Somchai said the EC found that the documents by the NDM were neither vulgar nor instigating, but he was not sure yet whether it they were true.
“If the EC legal affairs [people] take too long to take legal action. I will file the suit on a personal basis to prove the facts,’’ Somchai said.
He said an outcome would be known by Wednesday after the EC meets with the CDC to determine if the document by the NDM carries false statements.
He had not had a report about claims that some military officials in the North and Northeast persuaded voters to accept the charter draft. “If anyone finds such offences committed by anybody, please report them the EC,’’ he said.
The EC and CDC would also discuss cooperation to publicise content of the charter draft and how to encourage votes to express their views on the charter draft under principles – not vulgar, not inciting and not false.