Rangsiman Rome, a key NDM member, said that he did not want anymore problems or prosecution, but it did not make sense to prohibit people from campaigning to reject the charter draft when they had valid reasons supporting their idea.

The group has been actively pushing against the junta-sponsored constitution draft and calling voters to vote ‘no’ in the upcoming referendum on August 7.

They highlighted at least seven reasons why people should reject the charter. Among the points they raise are the charter draft paves the way for an outsider prime minister and that the new electoral method – the single ballot system – would not reflect voters’ true intention.

However, last week the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) passed a bill for the referendum that contains penalties for those influencing voters to cast a particular vote. Those convicted could face up to 10 years jail and a fine of up to Bt200,000. The NLA reasoned that any campaigns for or against the draft could deepen the national conflict.

Rangsiman said that to regard [the bill] as a law, it has to be fair, sensible, and written following the correct procedure, implying that the NLA’s referendum bill does not qualify as a law.

The NDM would continue to express its views about the draft, using the campaign slogan “Vote No to the Unchosen Future”, the activist said.

Apart from the NDM, a couple of other groups have come out and expressed their stance against the charter draft. A non-governmental organisation network led by Pairoj Polpetch, a former member of the Law Reform Commission, said last week that the network disapproved of the charter draft.

They insisted that the charter not only limited rights and freedom of the people but also empowered government agencies. Additionally, in the provision clauses, the junta were authorised to retain the powerful Article 44 even after the charter was enacted. The NGO network viewed that as unacceptable.

Thammasat University’s activist group Enlightened Jurists, Nitirat, issued a 13-page statement last week, calling the charter undemocratic.