It is a welcome sign that the military government has allowed proponents and opponents of the 270-section draft constitution to conduct campaigns in accordance with their beliefs ahead of the referendum tentatively set for the end of July.
But there is cause for concern. Campaigning will have to be restricted in a way -- all activities must be confined to primarily media channels rather than public rallies.
After a meeting between the Election Commission and Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam at Government House on Wednesday, both sides agreed to allow critics of the charter to campaign against it prior to the referendum, but all groups of charter supporters and critics are required to register with the EC before kick-starting their activities.
Election Commissioner Somchai Srisuthiyakorn says the reason for the registration requirement is to enable the poll regulator to determine the backgrounds of these groups and to prevent rallies that may potentially contain "vulgar" language from escalating to unrest.
Moreover, the EC prefers that different groups express their opinions via TV debates or video clips on YouTube. In an interview with a radio programme yesterday, Mr Somchai said through such media, campaigns will reach a much larger audience of "millions" rather than some "500-1,000" participating in a small rally.
The requirement reveals the fear that politicians who are critical of the charter will use the campaign to widen political rifts and attack the military, the government and the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) for their own political gain.
It is understandable why the EC and the NCPO are concerned over further political rhetoric as the draft charter has already been branded by opponents of the military government as a "dictator's charter" or the constitution that "cheats and steals the power of the people".
If the NCPO believes this draft charter, described by NCPO spokesman Col Piyapong Klinphan as "meeting international standards with a Thai identity that can be used appropriately to solve past problems", such shenanigans by those politicians must be countered with facts and reasons from charter supporters rather than bans and prohibitions from the regulator.
As the EC is afraid of the charter critics' provocative comments, another NCPO spokesman Col Winthai Suvaree has also called for "cooperation" from opponents of the draft constitution not to use campaigns for their own political benefits.
Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwon has also urged opponents of the draft charter to submit their opinions in writing to the Constitution Drafting Committee chaired by political veteran and legal guru Meechai Ruchupan, not just churn out verbal attacks in public. Those opinions, he promised, could be included in the final draft.
But while the EC is sceptical of moves by civic groups and politicians, the army has already deployed since last October thousands of territorial defence students who are social media savvy to explain to their peers and parents the NCPO's reform plans, the charter and the referendum, according to Col Piyapong.
The deployment of defence students for this political task shows the NCPO sees the merit of face-to-face activities in promoting understanding of the charter. But critics of this draft charter should be given an equal chance to have their say.
If the intention of the EC is to hold a free and fair referendum for a constitution that the NCPO believes is good for Thailand's democracy in the future, then the process of holding it, costing 3.4 billion baht, must give both its opponents and proponents a level playing field. This is the basis for democracy.