Campaign on Aug 19 referendum launched

CDA chairman Noranit Sethabutr handed charter copies to Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin, who expressed his support for the campaign to encourage the city's 4 million voters to vote. Apirak said he hoped that at least half of them would.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration will dispatch more than 30,000 officials and 30,000 volunteers to man 6,305 polling booths, Apirak said.

Later he joined Noranit and other city officials and CDA members in passing out the copies to residents in the City Hall neighbourhood.

All the campaign launch cer¬emonies went off without inci¬dent, including in the restive southern border provinces.

In Nakhon Ratchasima, more than 10,000 representa¬tives of 26 districts and six subdistricts took to the streets car¬rying green flags to encourage Korat natives to cast their vote in the plebiscite.

In Buri Ram, CDA member Karun Saingam extolled the advances of the new constitu¬tion, which gives more power to citizens and their representa¬tives to initiate political change.

People would be more empowered to uproot corrupt politicians or officials, he said.

Only 10,000 signatures would be needed to push for a constitution amendment, down from 50,000 in the 1997 con¬stitution.

Moreover, onefifth of the lower house could move for a noconfidence debate against the prime minister, down from twofifths of 500 MPs.

Governor Santhad Chatuchai cautioned the people of Buri Ram not to believe that the constitution originated from the Council for National Security. He said if they dis¬agreed with any points they could exercise the right to amend the charter later.

Narathiwat Governor Karan Supakitwilekkan urged con¬stituents to pore over the con¬stitution and express their opin¬ion on it on August 19.

CDA member Seri Niyamu said the problem in Narathiwat was that many voters could not read Thai and had limited time to study the constitution. He will ask security officials to pro¬tect those who go to the poll.

In Yala, apart from constitu¬tion copies, the CDA also dis¬tributed stickers with campaign messages to people who came to Provincial Hall.

Thousands of Pattani folk fanned out to encourage the vote. One group formed a drag¬on parade, others marched to the beat of Thai drums while Muslims joined in their own procession.

In Mae Hong Son, CDA member Manit Suksomjai called on locals to vote in the public referendum so that the country could hold a general election. He said the economy was not stable because the international community lacks full confidence in the militaryinstalled government.

"As long as we have military rule, foreign investors will not invest in Thailand," he said.

Mae Hong Son Governor Direk Konkleeb said he had instructed officials to campaign for people to vote. "It's up to them whether they reject or accept the constitution," he said.

Colonel Nopporn Ruanchan, commander of the Seventh Infantry Regiment, said the military would help the government campaign but would not interfere with the voters' judgement of the char¬ter.

In Ubon Ratchathani, CDA member Siwa Saengmani stressed that the supreme law of the land was strong on humanrights protection and checks and balances.

"This constitution has the most complete monitoring mechanism. Ministers cannot use their power without being checked," he said.

The charter also guarantees that Thais enjoy 12 years of free education, he said.

Ubon Ratchathani Governor Suthee Makbun said the province aimed to encourage 80 per cent of its one million vot¬ers to make their voices heard.