A public education campaign on the charter will only get the go-ahead if the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) decides to relax a ban on political activities prior to a referendum, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said yesterday.
His comments come amid concerns that various NCPO announcements and orders, especially those prohibiting political gatherings, might hinder efforts to raise public awareness about the draft constitution ahead of a referendum.
But Mr Wissanu said the military junta will consider easing some of the rules if they are found not to be conducive to a charter awareness campaign.
He said the Election Commission (EC), which is responsible for organising the referendum, will draw up regulations including what activities can or cannot be conducted.
Initially, the EC is expected to host public forums to give citizens a platform to make their points for or against the draft, he said.
According to Mr Wissanu, there is nothing wrong with people voicing their opinions about the constitution, but it is deemed inappropriate to try and persuade others to reject or endorse it.
He warned television producers and radio talk show hosts to be careful when inviting guests to talk about the charter to avoid presenting biased arguments.
Opinion surveys on the charter are unlikely to be prohibited but they will be strictly regulated, especially when the referendum draws near, he said.
Mr Wissanu said one of the toughest tasks of the charter education campaign will be to ensure the public understands the contents without trying to proffer opinions at the same time.
Meanwhile, about 40% of respondents surveyed by Nida Poll last week said they wanted the National Reform Council (NRC) to endorse the draft constitution to ensure the roadmap to democracy remains intact.
About 14% preferred the NRC to vote against the draft, while 20% wanted the council to abstain from voting and another 23% said it was up to the NRC what it wanted to do.
The NRC vote is due on Sunday.