Thais to Vote on Junta-backed Constitution
by VOA News August 06, 2016
Thai voters are preparing to vote Sunday on a new constitution proposed by the ruling military.
The junta-backed draft envisions an unelected prime minister during political gridlock, as well as an unelected senate with reserved seats for the junta.
Though the military says the draft would reduce political divisions in the country, critics have argued that it would give the military too much power.
Experts have also said the vote serves to confirm or deny the legitimacy of military rule in the country since a coup in 2014.
Some 50 million Thai voters will answer two questions on the ballot - one, whether they accept the draft constitution. The second question is whether they would approve a junta-appointed upper house, joining parliament's lower house to elect a prime minister to serve a five-year transitional period from military rule.
The new constitution would include a 250-member military-appointed senate along with a 500-member elected House of Representatives.
Elections are expected next year, and have been promised by the junta, should their constitution pass. Current Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has also promised that the elections will be held.
He has also promised that he will not resign regardless of the outcome of the referendum.
Both major parties in Thailand oppose the proposed constitution, arguing that it is undemocratic. Student activists are among the harshest critics of military rule, and more than a dozen have been detained for protesting against the draft.
The military has used laws supporting the referendum to fine and imprison for up to 10 years those campaigning against the draft.
Though violence is unlikely as the military government has a tight grip on security, over 10,000 police officers will be deployed for the voting.
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