Thais vote on new constitution that could dilute democracy

BANGKOK (AP) — Thais voted Sunday in a referendum on a new constitution that critics say is tailor-made for the military government to stay in control for several years and entrench a new, quasi-democratic system that gives vast powers to appointed officials.

The junta, which came to power in a May 2014 coup and ordered the constitution rewritten, says the new version will usher in an era of clean politics and stable democracy in a country chronically short of both in recent years. Over the years, Thailand has sometimes slid into violent political conflict.

The government of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, a retired army general who led the 2014 coup, used its sweeping powers to ban political rallies and independent campaigns against the draft constitution, and allowed virtually no debate on it. Opponents say this was done to ensure that people would have little knowledge about the constitution’s provisions, even though officials say 1 million copies have been distributed in a nation of 64 million people.

More than 100 people who tried to campaign against the referendum on social media have been thrown in jail, and open criticism has been made punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

“If people cannot speak their minds freely or take part in political activities without fear, how can they meaningfully engage in this referendum,” said Josef Benedict, Amnesty International’s deputy director for Southeast Asia and the Pacific.

After voting, Prayuth called on Thais to turn out in big numbers “because today is important for the future of the country. This is your duty and this is part of democracy, of an internationally recognized process.”

In Bangkok, student activist Piyarat Chongthep tore up his ballot while shouting “Down with dictatorship and long live democracy.” Destroying a ballot is illegal, and he was arrested. At least four other people were detained for destroying their ballots, apparently because they were confused about the voting procedure.

People were asked to check “yes” or “no” for the constitution and related provisions on the ballot paper. Polls closed at 4 p.m. and results were expected later Sunday.

The main criticisms of the draft constitution include a transition of at least five years to civilian rule and a 250-member appointed Senate that includes the commanders of the army and other security services. A deadlock in the 500-member elected lower house could trigger a selection of a prime minister who is not an elected member of parliament. Under the abolished 2007 constitution, half the Senate was elected, and the prime minister had to come from the lower house.

Also, emergency decrees enacted by the junta without any parliamentary consent remain valid. So-called independent bodies, stacked with conservative appointees, would hold “disproportionately broad and unchecked powers” over elected politicians, said the international human rights consortium FIDH and the Union for Civil Liberty in Thailand.

Even if the draft constitution is rejected, the military will remain in control for the foreseeable future. Prayuth has promised to hold elections next year, without elaborating on how that would happen if voters reject the draft constitution.

Thailand has endured 13 successful military coups and 11 attempted takeovers since it replaced an absolute monarchy with a constitutional one in 1932. If passed, this would be Thailand’s 20th constitution.

Leaders of the latest coup say the political conflict made the country ungovernable and that military rule was necessary for stability. The junta set up hand-picked committees to draft a charter that would enshrine its declared goal of reforming politics by eliminating corruption.

But others believe the draft constitution has a different aim: to weaken allies of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, the central figure in the roiling of Thai politics.

Thaksin’s political machine has easily won every national election since 2001, relying on the support of working-class and rural voters who benefited from his populist policies. Leading the other side is Thailand’s traditional ruling class and royalists unnerved by Thaksin’s support, especially as it contemplates its future. King Bhumibol Adulyadej, whose righteous rule has anchored the kingdom since 1946, is 88 and ailing.

The army ousted Thaksin in a 2006 coup, after his “yellow shirt” critics took to the streets and accused him of abuse of power, corruption and disrespecting the king. He has lived abroad since 2008 to avoid prison for a corruption conviction that he says was politically motivated. The 2014 coup ousted his sister Yingluck Shinawatra, who was elected prime minister in 2011.

“Today is a very important day for Thailand because this is the way of democracy, so make sure people understand the content and then share your opinion,” Yingluck told reporters after casting her vote, which she had previously said would be against the draft.

Those who brought Thaksin down now seek to weaken major political parties, which would ensure that real power stays in the hands of what is dubbed the permanent bureaucracy: the military, the courts and other unelected guardians of the conservative bloc.

Analysts say the new constitution would make it easy to disband parties, keep politicians in line, impeach politicians and enforce a coalition government of weaker, smaller parties.

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Associated Press journalists Grant Peck, Jerry Harmer, Tassanee Vejpongsa and Penny Wang in Bangkok and Ken Moritsugu in Tokyo contributed to this report.