Referendum for Thailand's New Constitution
Demonstrators vowed Monday to stage a fresh rally against Thailand's junta, after clashes with police at a Bangkok protest on Sunday left scores injured. Protesters have also begun rallying against the new constitution which the junta unveiled earlier this month and is set to go to a referendum next month.
The military-backed transitional government has promised new elections but the people will first have to sanction the new constitution. Phisit Lee-Atham is a member of the Constitution Drafting Council and he is confident that the new draft is much more democratic than the scrapped 1997 constitution: "In the old constitution the head of government was given too much power. He could use it without there being any checks and balances. But this time, we've made it easier for the Opposition to put votes of no confidence to the parliament so there will be more checks and balances in the future." Previously, 40 percent of the parliament's votes were necessary but the new draft says 20 percent suffice for a vote of no confidence. Anti-Thaksin constitution? The new draft has been termed an anti-Thaksin constitution. The prime minister, who was ousted in a military coup last September, was notorious for eating away the democratic system. He was accused of gambling away all legitimation for running the country with his corrupt behaviour. Surat Horachaikul is from Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok: "I have always told people how Thaksin Shinawatra's government directly tried to hinder independent organisations. The putsch didn't tear the constitution in half, Thaksin had already done it." Thaksin was also known for mixing political and business interests. His family-owned "Shin Corp", which has since been sold to an investment company in Singapore, clearly benefited from Thaksin's six years in office. One of the main points of the new constitution is that future prime ministers cannot conduct business activities whilst in political office. Information drive A massive image campaign has been planned to inform the country about the new constitution. But critics are sceptical. Because the draft constitution that gives the military more power in crisis situations is a consequence of an illegitimate putsch of September 2006. So many want the old 1997 constitution to be modified -- some say it was the best Thailand ever had. The media lawyer Supinya Klangnarong was once charged with slander by the "Shin Corp" and is an outspoken critic of Thaksin but she also protested against the military when it scrapped the old constitution: "We deeply regret that the popular constitution was abolished. It was one of the most democratic ones and one which the whole country took part in. The constitution was great and we're sad that we've lost it." Communication gap It's unclear how good the chances are of the new constitution being accepted. Despite the image campaign the information is slow to flow. According to recent polls, about 80 percent of the inhabitants in Thailand's twelve largest provinces don't even know when the referendum is taking place. An announcement by the junta chief Sonthi Boonyaratkalin that he was toying with the idea of entering politics was received with deep suspicion. Most Thais are inclined to think that Thailand's recent history has been bloody enough and that the military was largely responsible.
Thailand
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Monday
Thailand
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Bangkok
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Sunday
Phisit Lee-Atham
Constitution Drafting Council
1997
Opposition
Thaksin
Thaksin_Shinawatra Thaksin_University
Thaksin
Thaksin_Shinawatra Thaksin_University
September
Surat Horachaikul
Chulalongkorn University
Chulalongkorn_University
Bangkok
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Thaksin Shinawatra
Thaksin_Shinawatra
Thaksin
Thaksin_Shinawatra Thaksin_University
Thaksin
Thaksin_Shinawatra Thaksin_University
Shin Corp
Intouch_Holdings
Singapore
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Thaksin
Thaksin_Shinawatra Thaksin_University
September 2006
1997
Thailand
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media lawyer
Supinya Klangnarong
Supinya_Klangnarong
Shin Corp
Intouch_Holdings
Thaksin
Thaksin_Shinawatra Thaksin_University
Thailand
Thailand Thailand_national_football_team Football_Association_of_Thailand Thailand_women's_national_football_team List_of_non-marine_molluscs_of_Thailand Thailand_at_the_2005_Southeast_Asian_Games Thai_cuisine Thailand_national_badminton_team Thailand_Open_(badminton) Cinema_of_Thailand Thailand_women's_national_cricket_team Thailand_Volleyball_Association Thailand_national_under-23_football_team Thailand_Fed_Cup_team Thailand_national_futsal_team Football_in_Thailand
junta chief
Sonthi Boonyaratkalin
Sonthi_Boonyaratglin
Thais
Thailand
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Constitution Drafting Council
Constitution_Drafting_Assembly_of_Thailand
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Thailand
Thailand
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Thaksin Shinawatra
Thaksin_Shinawatra
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Monday
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Bangkok
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Sunday
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Phisit Lee-Atham
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1997
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Opposition
meta::todo
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Surat Horachaikul
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Chulalongkorn University
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Shin Corp
Intouch_Holdings
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Singapore
Singapore
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September 2006
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media lawyer
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Supinya Klangnarong
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junta chief
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Sonthi Boonyaratkalin
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Thais
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