The academics spoke at an event called the “Referendum Campaigning is People’s Right, not Illegal”. It was organised by the New Democracy Movement at Thammasat University’s Tha Phra Chan campus.

Chanvit Kasetsiri, former rector of Thammasat University, stressed that the campaigns could be staged and called on the powers that be to realise the importance of human rights and go beyond the dictatorship which has persisted in the country for decades.

Puangthong Pawakapan, a political science lecturer at Chulalongkorn University, said the rights to vote “yes” or “no” is a fundamental rights which people should have. However, she said the powers that be had deprived the people of such a right.

“We are moving backwards while other democratic countries embrace liberty and democracy,” Puangthong said.

Decharut Sukkumneod, an economist at Kasetsart University, stressed that campaigning for the referendum was legal and useful.

“Campaigning can lead to change,” Decharut said, citing a freeeducation campaign carried out by high school student activists as an example.

“That campaign led to the junta’s move to provide 15year freeeducation [from kindergarten to Matthayom 6] for people,” Decharut said.

Saowatri Suksri, a law lecturer at Thammasat University, said Clause 2 of Section 61 of the Referendum Act was not in line with criminal law principles. She said the section was vaguely written. People did not know what they could and could not do as the law could be broadly interpreted.

Lawyer Anont Nampa will on Tuesday file a second request asking police to release the seven student activists.

The activists’ supporters at the Thammasat University event expressed their support of the students’ campaign as they regard it as being legal.

The seven were among thirteen activists from the NDM and a labour union who were arrested while handing out leaflets concerning the August referendum. They were charged with violating the National Council for Peace and Order’s order 3/2558, which bans political gatherings of more than four people.

Six were temporarily release on Bt50,000 bail.

The detained students include students from Thammasat, Kasetsart, and Ramkamhaeng universities.

Their supporters will visit them at Bangkok Remand Prison on Monday.

Uthit Sakulpong, kamnan of Tambon Kok Sueng in Ubol Rattana district, said charter specialists at the village level known as “Kru |Kor” would receive PR documents on the charter to distribute to community leaders, volunteers and villagers.

They will read out the documents verbatim to prevent disseminating the wrong information.

If villagers do not understand a particular point, PR specialists will explain the content.

If local residents still do not understand, the specialists will recite 10 major elements of the draft.

“When they keep asking questions, we just have to read what is in the book, otherwise we might give incorrect information.

“But some parts, the language used is legalistic, technical and sometimes hard to understand,” he said.

“Although the charter is difficult to understand, I believe they will exercise their voting right at the |public plebiscite, as they are interested.

Up in the air

“But I don’t know if they’ll vote for or against it,” he said.

Wanya Thanapat, 20, a villager from Tambon Koksueng, said she had not followed the news on the charter because she was not interested, although she has heard villagers talk about it. She has not decided if she will cast a ballot or not.

Sathit Charoende, from the same tambon, said she followed political developments closely because she felt the country has corruption problems that are stalling its development.

The new charter identifies the roles and responsibilities of politicians and officials to prevent graft, she said, adding that it would reduce corruption.

Intelligence sources said they believe more than half of voters will go to the polling stations but they are not sure if voters will give the charter their blessing.

The Thai team was led by Assistant Foreign Minister Weerasak Futrakul and included the PM’s special representative General Chatchalerm Chalermsuk, Foreign Ministry permanent secretary Apichart Chinwanno, Thailand’s representative to UN Virachai Plasai, Constitution Drafting Commission spokesman Norachit Singhaseni, and Deputy Government Spokesman Maj-General Werachon Sukondhapatipak.

They also explained the situation in the run-up to the referendum.

Werachon said the team also informed the UN that the political roadmap set after the coup would be followed strictly. He said Thailand would work closely with the UN to prevent any misunderstandings.

Deputy Government Spokesman Maj-General Werachon Sukondhapatipak said yesterday that in the past six years Thailand’s corruption problem was now at its least invasive level.

He said the conclusion came from findings by local and international organisations that campaign against corruption.

This government came to power after the coup in May 2014.

The spokesman said that the Anti-Corruption Organisation of Thailand had reported the country’s progress in fighting corruption last month.

Increased awareness

He attributed the improvement to increased awareness among the public and businesses, as well as the government’s tough measures and policies against corruption.

“All those measures serve as a good foundation in the fight against corruption, in line with international practices. They will also help boost the efficiency of the existing laws and regulations,” Werachon said.

Anti-graft organisations have found that Thailand’s transparency image has been at its best in a decade, according to the spokesman.

He said that there had been fewer cases of state officials demanding bribes from businesspeople and foreign investors.

Of 1,246 respondents surveyed in a new Suan Dusit University nationwide poll, more than three quarters said corruption and the pursuit of personal interests were one of the most concerning problems facing the country.

More than 80 per cent said the Prayut Chan-o-cha administration could “possibly” attempt to lay out the foundation to combat graft.

About 78 per cent of the respondents viewed that currently the government had not yet succeeded in rooting out fraud in governmental projects.

The survey’s results show that people think the No 1 political problem facing the country is “conflict, [the] divide, and political polarisation”, with more than 80 per cent of the respondents voicing that.

Other problems concerning them are malpractice among the politicians and the amendment of the constitution, expressed by 61.16 and 56.74 per cent of the respondents respectively.

The administrative problem came last. Less than 5 per cent of respondent said that the administration’s performance in dealing with economic, social, and education issues was a problem.

The poll asked what problem the people thought the administration could possibly deal with. More than 80 per cent also said it could stop street protests and political activities.

More than three-quarters said the government could possibly attempt to prevent the pursuit of personal interests and political power.

Following the road map came fourth with 65.25 per cent. Trade and investment, especially special economic zone, came last with a little more than 55 per cent.

Concerning what the government had not successfully tackled, about 71 per cent said it did not concretely bring about reconciliation.

More than 60 per cent said bread and butter problems had not been tackled.

Almost 60 per cent thought the government had not improved the country’s image in the eyes of the international community. And some 57 per cent said that democracy and the constitution were still persisting problems.

Only 25.44 per cent said they were strongly confident in the government’s performance to deal with political problems facing the country.

Most respondents, or 41 per cent, said they were fairly confident. And 15.73 per cent said they had no confidence at all.

Prawit said China’s submarine technology was good and modern, playing down criticism of the move. He said the Navy had studied all details. “It first presented its plan in 2008 or 2009.”

Asked why the Navy would want submarines since it had abolished the submarine division, Prawit said the country needed them to protect its massive marine resources in the Andaman Sea.

“Neighbouring countries all have submarines. Myanmar has 10,” he said.

As the referendum date of August 7 approaches, United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship president Jatuporn hosted an online live-stream program on Facebook to express his views on the charter draft. The move raised concerns over whether it breached the referendum law, which prohibits the spreading of false, rude, incendiary, or intimidating messages with the intention to influence voters.

But Somchai said Jatuporn’s live stream could have given an alternative view of the constitution draft to voters that could be advantageous.

However, he warned the red-shirt leader not to cross the line set by the referendum law by giving false information or using vulgar language to incite people or induce street protests.

Jatuporn should only give essential information without trying to influence how people vote, the EC member said. In a related development, leading Pheu Thai Party figure Watana Muangsook posted on his Facebook page a photo of him wearing a T-shirt printed with a message against the charter. The photo was taken during his recent visit to former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in Singapore.

General Prawit Wongsuwan, a key member of the military’s ruling National Council for Peace and Order, said the issue should be taken up by the EC to see if the move violated the referendum law.

Somchai said he could not tell straightaway if it was illegal. If needed, the EC would have to convene to rule on the matter, he said.

However, the EC member insisted that wearing a T-shirt with such a message was not illegal unless the person had the intention to stir up violence.

In response to the request from international organisations to observe August’s referendum, Somchai said the EC had replied to observation requests made by the Asia Foundation as well as Bhutan and Nepal representatives and they would be allowed to monitor it. But he said there would be restrictions on Thai observers, with them allowed only to monitor situations outside polling stations. They must not intimidate polling staff or create chaos in front of polling stations, he said, citing the referendum law.

Meanwhile, Pornpetch Vichitcholchai, president of the National Legislative Assembly, expressed his delight after the Constitutional Court ruled that Article 61 of the referendum law was not unconstitutional. The article prohibits the spreading of false, rude or incendiary messages.

He said the clause would help keep peace and order during the lead-up to the plebiscite.

Public opinions are still respected, Pornpetch said, adding that he did not want people to view the referendum law as limiting their rights or freedoms.