Matichon daily on Monday ran two full-page ads with distinctly different messages - a piece from the Constitution Drafting Assembly (CDA) urged people to vote in favour of the draft constitution, while the 19 September Network Against the Coup advocated a "no" vote on August 19 with detailed arguments on how the country would benefit if the draft charter did not pass the referendum.

Thanaphol Eawsakul, said the network raised Bt1.2 million to pay for 10 advertising spaces in Matichon for 10 weeks, while the CDA's Chutinant Bhirompakdi, president of the PR sub-committee, said he could not remember the figure but noted that the entire public relations campaign was "expensive".

Matichon reader Chatri Prakit-nonthakan said it was good to see campaigns from both sides in the media.

"But I'm disappointed the CDA chose to tell us half truths, just like many other product advertisements. Voting 'no' does not mean there would be no election as the interim constitution from the coup group stated," said Chatri, who teaches Thai Architecture at Silapakorn University.

Meanwhile, businessman Anon Tirakij, said he was convinced by the CDA ad that there would be no election if people did not vote in favour of the CDA's draft charter.

Media scholar Ruj Kamonbut, said he was afraid the CDA had misunderstood its role as it was misleading the public into thinking the general election would be held only if people voted for the draft.

"Though a half-truth is normally used as strategy by advertising companies, the CDA is an independent body and using people's tax money [to buy ad space]. It should realise that its duty is to give straightforward information to the public," said Ruj, a lecturer at Thammasat University's faculty of journalism and mass communications.

Looking at the ad by the op-position group that published Professor Nidhi Eoseewongse's explanation on "how the country would benefit if people vote "no" for the draft charter", Ruj said that it was smart, but the group should also have notified readers that it was advertisement.

Thanapol of the anti-coup network said his group has also produced other campaigning tools such as the website www.wevoteno.net.

He said his the 19 September Network paid for media space because the media failed to represent opposing voices in their news reports.

Chutinant conceded that the CDA intentionally urged people to vote in favour of the draft charter. "Why not?" he asked, "We believe that our draft is better than the 1997 Constitution."

Subhatra Bhumiprabhas

The Nation