Pheu Thai launches online ‘vote no’ campaign

These moves are believed to be in response to the Pheu Thai Party’s concerted “vote no” campaign on social media yesterday. 

A recent unofficial survey conducted by intelligence agencies revealed that there was a big likelihood that the draft would not pass the national plebiscite, sources from intelligence agencies said. 

Most of those surveyed said they would not vote for the draft, with as many as 80 per cent of the respondents in the Northeast saying they would certainly cast a “no” vote, the survey found. 

At least 17 Pheu Thai politicians posted messages on their Facebook pages yesterday pointing out what they called flaws in the draft. 

However, some Pheu Thai figures denied that this had been planned ahead of time. 

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, in his capacity as head of the military’s ruling National Council for Peace and Order, issued an order yesterday to extend free education from 12 to 15 years – from kindergarten to Grade 12 or lower vocational school. 

According to the draft charter, free education will only be provided from kindergarten to Grade 9. However, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said the law requiring 15 years of free education would remain in effect even if the draft fails to pass the referendum. 

Prayut’s order, viewed by many as a move to win backing from civic groups who have been calling for the free-education period to be extended, came after the government came up with a policy of granting subsidies to people who earn less than Bt100,000 annually. 

About 20 million people aged 18 and over – almost half of all eligible voters – will benefit from this new measure.

 

Social-media campaign

Key Pheu Thai politicians launched an online campaign against the draft charter yesterday, posting their comments almost simultaneously on Facebook. 

Most of them posted similar-looking graphics containing their photos and messages in the same font and style, which were also sent to the media early yesterday. 

Those posting messages included deputy party leader Plodprasop Surasawadee, former deputy PM Kittiratt Na-Ranong, former education minister Chaturon Chaisang, former deputy transport minister Phumtham Vechayachai, former deputy House Speaker Samart Kaewmeechai and former chief government whip Udomdej Ratanasatien.

Pheu Thai’s former commerce minister Wattana Muangsook, however, insisted that this online campaign had not been pre-planned. As for the similar graphics, he said the politicians had them designed by the party’s graphic team. When asked why former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra had chosen to be quiet, he said she could not voice her opinions because her political rights had been revoked by the National Legislative Assembly in relation to charges of graft in the rice-pledging scheme. 

This campaign, however, raises questions as to whether it is breaching the Referendum Act and other related laws, as the junta has prohibited activities that might affect the outcome of the referendum. The referendum law restricts campaigning for or against the draft charter, or in any way influencing votes, with violators facing up to 10 years of jail.

Election Commission member Somchai Srisutthiyakorn said it had yet to be determined if the online anti-draft campaign is illegal, though it was fine if the comments are made on an individual basis. If the comments are being posted on behalf of the party, then the political-party registrar would have to decide if it breaches the law. He said it was not really clear if the campaign was being run separately, or as a whole, adding that the authorities had to investigate this further. 

Wirat Kanlayasiri, a member of the Democrat Party’s legal team, said his party would not opt for any activities that might breach the law, adding that Democrats would only voice their opinions to the press. 

While the Pheu Thai Party’s focus has been on the anti-draft campaign, the Democrats chose to concentrate on the upcoming Uefa Euro soccer tournament. Score predictions from five Democrats, including Abhisit Vejjajiva, were displayed in a TV show on Democrat-backed TV channel Fah Won Mai.

Sukhum Nuansakul, a political analyst and former rector of Ramkhamhaeng University, put the Pheu Thai campaign down to a “political game” because it stands to win even if the campaign is banned. Besides, the referendum will lose its legitimacy if the people are silenced, he added. He said the campaign could continue because it did not breach any laws or international norms.