Thailand refuses UN observation at draft charter referendum
Thailand has no intention to have United Nations observers at its upcoming referendum on the draft constitution, stated Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam.
Bangkok (VNA) – Thailand has no intention to have United Nations observers at its upcoming referendum on the draft constitution, stated Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam.
He also said that international observers would be invited to the next general election slated for 2017.
On June 21, the UN announced its readiness to support Thailand in this turning point to facilitate a quick return to democracy while underscoring the importance of an open and inclusive debate ahead of the referendum.
The announcement came following a phone conversation between UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on the local political moves of the Southeast Asian nation.
On March 29, the Constitution Drafting Commission released the draft charter, which contains 105 pages and 279 articles and is expected to solve a decade-long political crisis in Thailand.
Thai people will go to the poll on August 7 to vote on the draft.-VNA
Thailand’s Constitution Drafting Commission (CDC) issued the proposed new constitution for public review on March 29 in an attempt to pull Thailand out of the decade-long political crisis.
If a draft Constitution is rejected in a national referendum slated for August 7, a new constitution will be written without using any past constitutions, Thai PM Prayut Chan-ocha stated on April 12.
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A street in Bangkok (Source: wordpress.com)
