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"The Commission on Higher Education has approved a democracy promotion campaign to dispatch students to explain to voters their obligation for the referendum on the charter," commission secretary general Krisanapong Kiratikorn said yesterday.

Krisanapong said students would campaign with impartiality by encouraging the casting of ballots but not swaying votes.

"Student campaigners will not try to influence voters in forming their own decision whether to accept or reject the charter," he said.

He said the commission got involved in the awarenss campaign as per the request by the Election Commission.

Authorities were concerned about the voter turnout after discovering only 10,000 absentee voters, including upcountry students, registered to vote in Bangkok.

In a general election, around 100,000 to 200,000 absentee voters would cast ballots in the capital instead of going back to their hometown.

The Constitution Drafting Assembly's public relations committee has pledged to assist the students with publicity materials explaining about the referendum and the charter.

"With the help of the students, more voters are expected to study the charter and cast votes in the referendum," committee chairman Somchai Ruchuphan said.

Junta chief General Sonthi Boonyaratglin said he was dispatching soldiers to all corners of the country to promote the referendum vote.

Sonthi voiced optimism about a successful referendum because of the majority support from former MPs, most political parties and the people keen on restoring the political normalcy.

Lawmakers and charter writers reminded parties concerned to help promoting the referendum, saying penalties were not designed punish honest campaigners but illintentioned elements bent on derailing the vote or riggin the outcome.

The National Legislative Assembly has scheduled next Wednesday to pass the draft bill on the referendum.

The draft has been renamed and vetted to weed out contentious clauses which could be construed as an attempt to fault honest voters, PM's Office Minister Thirapat Serirangsan said.

"Voters can cast ballots freely without having to worry about being picked on," he said.

The Nation