Leaders of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) promised on Saturday to help deliver a high turnout of voters on charter referendum day.

Red-shirt leader Jatuporn Prompan said before embarking on a Chao Phraya River cruise that the anti-government group wanted to encourage as many people as possible to decide on the draft constitution on Aug 7.

The Election Commission has set a target of 80% of eligible voters to cast ballots. But the outspoken Mr Jatuporn vowed to aim even higher at 90%.

Neither figure is likely to be approached. In the 2007 charter referendum after the 2006 coup that overthrew the red shirts' patron, Thaksin Shinawatra, the turnout was 57% of 40 million eligible voters, and 58.3% of those voting approved the draft.

Mr Jatuporn was joined by other UDD leaders including Nattawut Saikuar, Tida Thawornseth and Yongyuth Tiyaprairat as they boarded a boat to visit three riverside temples on Saturday.

Police and soldiers observed their activity when they arrived at a pier in Pak Kred district of Nonthaburi.

None of the UDD leaders on Saturday mentioned anything about encouraging voters to reject the draft, given the military government's stern warnings against anyone who attempts to sway opinion pro or con. Violators of the referendum law face jail terms of up to 10 years.

The closest thing to a comment came from Mrs Tida, who said that the referendum was set up to validate the power of the government as all comments about the draft are banned.

But the UDD has made clear its stance against the draft. Its members say the document was written to damage democracy as it takes away power from elected politicians and could allow an outsider to be prime minister, with help from a military-appointed senate.

"The position of the UDD is clear that the group is against the draft charter. Any UDD member who votes for it will see their ties with the UDD severed," Mr Nattawut said on pro-UDD Peace TV on April 6.

The group also plans to set up a centre against cheating in the referendum on June 5. It will encourage people to send pictures, video clips and documents showing any attempts to influence the result to its lawyers across the country.

The UDD announced its plan just days after the Constitution Drafting Committee launched its campaign to inform voters about the draft through officials and opinion leaders on Wednesday. The participants are being trained by the panel before going out to meet people to explain the constitution to voters.

Source:
courtesy of BANGKOK POST

by Aekarach Sattaburuth

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