The rejection of the draft constitution in the Aug 7 referendum will lead to political instability and spur anti-coup elements to seek the ouster of the prime minister, Constitution Drafting Committee chairman Meechai Ruchupan said Tuesday.
Mr Meechai dismissed a rumour that efforts are being made to have the draft charter shot down on Aug 7 so that Gen Prayut can prolong his grip on power.
The rumour was disseminated with the intent to create misunderstandings, he said.
Instead, if the draft fails to pass in the referendum, this will throw the roadmap and time frame set by the government into disarray," Mr Meechai said.
Meechai Ruchupan, chief author of the draft constitution, warns of chaos and disarray if the country votes against the draft charter in the scheduled Aug 7 referendum. (Photo by Pawat Laopaisarntaksin)
The prime minister would come under pressure to leave office even sooner because his opponents would take this opportunity to campaign for his ouster, he said.
"If the draft charter fails to pass, Uncle Tu [Gen Prayut's nickname] will leave even sooner since those people will take to the streets to oust him as all the processes will be left in disarray," Mr Meechai said.
- Let it be: Open debate is critical
Mr Meechai also said the harsh criticism of the draft charter and the CDC was unfair
He added members of civil groups who came out to urge a "No Vote" and attack the draft charter during the past week are the "same old faces" who declared they would boycott it even before it was written.
Mr Meechai made the comment before Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva is due to announce his personal stance on the draft charter today. Political observers believe Mr Abhisit will oppose the draft.
In another development, Boonlert Buranupakorn, the chairman of Chiang Mai provincial administrative organisation, has been suspended from his job without pay, according to an order issued under Section 44 of the interim charter by Gen Prayut as chief of the National Council for Peace and Order.
According to the order published in Tuesday's Royal Gazette, authorities have received reports that executives and officials of some local governing bodies are suspected of violating the referendum law. Urgent action is needed to prevent it.
Authorities have been instructed to look into the matter and alert the prime minister if other local body officials are also implicated, according to the order.
On Saturday, police and soldiers discovered letters containing allegedly distorted information on the draft charter during raids on six locations linked to Mr Boonlert, including Chiang Mai Tusnaporn Co -- a wood furniture manufacturer and an exporter run by Mr Boonlert in tambon Tha Sala of Muang district.
Mr Boonlert's family have been closely connected with the Pheu Thai Party.
Police said the letters contained distorted information that claimed the draft charter would cancel the government's 30-baht healthcare scheme, monthly payments to the elderly and free schooling.
Chiang Mai Tusnaporn staff members told officers that the letters belonged to 35-year-old Wisarut Kananitisan, who was arrested later that day.
Also on Tuesday, Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon said police are gathering evidence to arrest those behind the distribution of the letters alleged to have distorted the draft charter in the North.
The United Nations Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, David Kaye, condemned the alarmingly high number of arrests and charges ahead of the referendum.
He said since June this year, at least 86 people have been investigated or charged under the government clampdown on dissenting voices ahead of the referendum vote. A journalist covering the campaign was also arrested and charged with violating the act for which the penalty includes up to 10 years' imprisonment.
"I am seriously concerned that military orders and the act restrict expression and access to information about the draft constitution," Mr Kaye said. "The idea of a referendum is to allow for full debate followed by a public vote, and particularly where the subject is of extraordinary public interest, a wide range of opinions should be encouraged, freely expressed, and open to rigorous debate," he said.
"Instead of criminalising expression on the draft constitution, the Thai government should encourage an open environment for public discourse to ensure informed participation during the constitutional referendum," the expert advised.
