Referendum Bill Royally Endorsed

The bill received royal endorsement today after the National Legislative Assembly approved it last week.

Thirapat said both groups were still allowed to carry on their campaigns, including advertisements in the media. But they should not distort the facts or attempt to sway over the voters, which would be regarded violating the law, he said.

After publication in the Royal Gazette tomorrow, the new law will punish offenders with imprisonment and a five-year suspension of voting rights.

Thirapat dismissed a report that junta chief General Sonthi Boonyaratglin would pick the 1997 charter to adjust some contents before declaring as a new constitution, in case that the junta-backed constitution draft was rejected in the referendum.

He said it could be only Sonthi's rough idea, but the government had not discussed about the condition.

A source in the Election Commission said holding the election in December as the government had planned would not be possible if the charter draft was rejected in the referendum.

The source said there would be a long legal process in that case, which could not finished by the year end.

Meanwhile, Jakkawan Wannawong, Chiang Mai's branch director of the Democrat Party, urged local residents to exercise their votes regarding the referendum over the constitution draft. He blamed those who had campaigned against the referendum. He said the draft was better than the defunct 1997 charter but the decision relied on the people's decision.