More than 100 academics, activists and politicians from two major rival camps have stepped up calls for the military regime to guarantee them the right to freely express their views on the draft charter during the lead-up to the Aug 7 referendum.
Their statement was read out to the public despite Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon's warning ahead of the announcement that such a move would break the referendum law.
The group comprising 105 people and five organisations signed the joint statement at a seminar Monday.
Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan, Chaturon Chaisang, Phongthep Thepkanjana from Pheu Thai, Khunying Kalaya Sophonpanich and Kasit Piromya from the Democrat Party were among those who signed the statement.
Noted academics such as Likhit Dhiravegin, Surachart Bamrungsuk, Gothom Arya and Prateep Ungsongtham Hata, a prominent slum activist and Magsaysay Award recipient and former Bangkok senator Jon Ungphakorn also signed.
The five organisations that signed the statement were the People's Health System Movement, the Committee of the Relatives of the May 1992 Heroes, the Cross Cultural Foundation, the Human Rights and Development Foundation and the Union for Civil Liberty.
In the statement, the group called for open and inclusive debates to be held to allow supporters and opponents of the draft charter to air their views on its content.
Voters must be allowed access to accurate, comprehensive and thorough information on the draft constitution and they need a safe and public space to voice disagreement, the statement said.
It also said the referendum must be conducted in a free, transparent and fair manner in accordance with international principles and standards.
The statement said people have a legitimate right to freedom of expression and to constructively voice their opinions on the draft constitution as it is the supreme law of the country, and that such basic political rights must be protected.
Restricting people's right to express their views on the draft charter by resorting to measures such as detaining people for "attitude adjustment" is not only a violation of basic human rights but also delegitimises the referendum process as a whole, it added.
It also stressed that before the referendum is held, alternatives to the draft charter must be clearly specified in the event the draft does not pass the referendum.
This is necessary for all sides to reach a consensus on a new constitution. People from all groups must be allowed to debate over its content and propose alternatives, it said.
Khunying Sudarat said the government should be open-minded and listen to opinions on the draft charter from various groups. In fact, allowing people to talk about the pros and cons would only have a positive effect on the draft charter and the government itself, she said.
Once the government gets feedback on the draft, it can improve the constitution's organic laws, she said. She also said expressing opinions on the draft charter should not be against the law.
Mr Kasit, also a member of the National Reform Steering Assembly, said the government should hold public forums so critics and supporters of the draft charter can hold discussions. Such forums should be broadcast live on both radio and television prior to the referendum, he said.
Before the statement was issued, Gen Prawit said the Referendum Act has come into force and the group must abide by the law which prohibits individuals from holding campaigns to persuade people to accept or reject the draft in the referendum.
Gen Prawit said there might be confrontations and conflicts between opposing sides if they are allowed to freely express their views on the draft charter.
"If you want to speak, just speak in your own circles. No publicity is allowed," Gen Prawit said.
He said he has ordered his legal staff to determine if news conferences about the draft constitution held by former protest leaders Suthep Thaugsuban and Jatuporn Prompan breached the new Referendum Act.
On Sunday, Mr Suthep, chairman of the Muan Maha Prachachon for Reforms Foundation, held a news briefing to declare his support for the draft charter.
This was followed by a media conference by Mr Jatuporn, chairman of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship, during which he called for people to watch out for possible fraud in the referendum.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said Monday the government did not suppress different views but wanted opposing groups to think carefully before picking up an issue and creating conflicts.
Prior to the reading of the statement, an academic seminar called "Annex Questions to the Referemdum" was held at the same place. But after the seminar, Pathumwan police asked a panellist to report to their station.
Bencharat Chua, Mahidol University's Institute of Human Rights and Peace Studies, refused to accept the summons and asked for clarification of the charge.
One of the plainclothes policemen showed leaflets by the New Democracy Movement about "7 Reasons Not to Accept the Draft Charter" and asked why pro-charter documents were not disseminated at the seminar as well.
Eventually, the police only took her name card and the leaflets while Ms Bencharat went home.
Ms Bencharat told reporters the academics and civic groups were calling for more freedom to discuss the pros and cons of the constitution.