Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon said yesterday that the junta, formally known as the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), had no plans to form a party to contest the polls.
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Most of those slapping the draft with a “No” vote were those in the South, Northeast and some parts of the North.
In a hint at the country’s stark divisions, pro-democracy social media users were quick to lament a result that kicks back aspirations of a return to full civilian rule.
On Thursday and Friday diplomatic envoys would be invited to a briefing on the official result of the referendum now the government’s roadmap and timeframe for the next steps had become clearer.
“The goal is to keep the political party system fragmented to bring about a coalition government that will not be dominated by a single party”, said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political science professor at Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn University. Also, he noted that there are at least 10 charter-related laws which are yet to be promulgated before an election can be staged.
Army chief Gen Theerachai Nakwanit, navy chief Adm Na Areenit, air force chief ACM Trithod Sonjang and supreme commander Gen Sommai Kaotheera met with the premier at Government House to hold talks for about one hour, said a government official.
Critics have warned that the new charter will stifle democracy and grant the military too much control over the next government.
Inside Story – Will Thailand’s new constitution lead to stability?
That will be a disappointment for Thailands last elected Prime Minister, Yingluck Shinawatra, who came out to cast her vote early on Sunday.
People register to vote at a polling station before casting their ballots in the constitutional referendum in Thailand’s northeastern province of Buriram on Sunday.
Even if the constitution does not win approval, the military will remain in control for the foreseeable future.
“The government will pay heed to the will of the people today and will do everything possible to address their concerns while providing a sustainable solution to our country’s political problems”, he said. This will be the nation’s 20th constitution in that time and the fifth in a decade. “(It was) a one-sided campaign in which the junta indirectly encouraged “yes” votes and arrested or intimidated referendum opponents”, said Paul Chambers, director of research at the Institute of Southeast Asian Affairs in the city of Chiang Mai.
The Shinawatras, through policies supporting the majority rural poor, won every election they contested, which riled royalists and other elites.
After the majority of people voted to accept the draft constitution on August 7, the Prime Minister has expressed his gratitude to all members of the Constitution Drafting Commission (CDC) for their hard work.
In 2014, a military coup occurred in Thailand, with the military having dissolved the Senate and detained a number of political and public figures, including former Prime Minister of Thailand Yingluck Shinawatra, who later appeared in court.
The army ousted Thaksin in a 2006 coup, after “yellow shirt” protesters took to the streets and accused him of abuse of power, corruption and disrespecting the king.
Thaksin lives overseas to avoid a prison term for a corruption conviction, while Yingluck is on trial for alleged dereliction of duty involving a money losing rice-purchasing program.
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The results were released Sunday after voting in the referendum ended because of a ban on any activity that could influence voters, including bans on political rallies and independent campaigns.
