Paiboon proposes referendum on 2-year rally ban

Paiboon proposes referendum on 2-year rally ban

A referendum will solve ongoing political conflicts and give economic recovery a chance, says Palang Pracharath deputy leader Paiboon Nititawan. (Bangkok Post file photo by Arnun Chonmahatrakool)
A referendum will solve ongoing political conflicts and give economic recovery a chance, says Palang Pracharath deputy leader Paiboon Nititawan. (Bangkok Post file photo by Arnun Chonmahatrakool)

A Palang Pracharath deputy leader has floated the idea of holding a referendum to ban political rallies for two years to allow the economy to recover and stop escalating conflicts.

Paiboon Nititawan, citing Section 166 of the constitution, said he would propose to the prime minister that the question could be asked of 52 million voters during the provincial administration elections in 76 provinces scheduled on Dec 20.

Since Bangkok does not have a provincial administration election, a referendum will be held specifically  for the purpose, which will require only a small budget, he said.  

The PPRP list MP said he had proposed the idea of using a referendum instead of a fresh election as the solution to the problem at the joint sitting of the Senate and the House on Oct 26.

In his view, a House dissolution to pave the way for a general election, one of the three demands of youth protesters, will exacerbate economic problems and cannot solve the conflicts 

Since Section 166 does not allow holding a referendum on an issue in conflict with the constitution — Section 44 of the charter endorses the freedom of people to assemble peacefully and without arms — he proposed that the question be phrased carefully.   

According to him, the question should ask whether voters agree with the two-year ban on “political assemblies which violate the public assembly law, breach Section 6 of the constitution on national security and undermine efforts to solve economic problems stemming from the Covid-19 outbreak".

The question cites as reasons the needs to maintain national security, public safety and economic security, to prevent public disasters caused by conflicts among people, and to allow economic measures, aid and remedies for people to bear fruit.

In total, the proposed question contains 138 words in Thai, compared to the 57-word question during the referendum that allows senators to vote on a prime minister alongside MPs in August 2016.  

Since the public referendum law has yet to take effect, the prime minister may issue an executive decree for the referendum since it is an urgent, unavoidable issue, he said.

The referendum would allow people to directly exercise their sovereignty and power to address the current situation and bring a consensus, he added.

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