Thais began voting on Sunday in a referendum on a new junta-backed constitution that would pave the way for a general election in 2017 but require future governments to rule on the military’s terms.
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Prayuth’s comments came two days after the new constitution was approved in a referendum by a clear majority.
Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha, who led the 2014 coup as head of the army, earlier urged Thais to courageous monsoon rains to cast their vote amid concern that a ban on campaigning would lead to a low turnout.
Experts say the referendum is also a vote on the legitimacy of military rule since a May 2014 coup. “They will say the opposition can not say anything now”, said Pavin, who is Thai and a vocal critic of the junta.
But she was still wary about openly criticizing the government.
“Voters simply believe that the strong rule of military, or the new semi-authoritarian regime guided by that military, can prevent the recurrence of street politics and violent conflict that engulfed Thailand in the past several years”.
Thailand has chosen to ratify a military-drafted constitution that is set to guide the country for the foreseeable future.
The passage of the charter means the junta is more likely to stick to its current time line of holding elections late next year. “Many Thais want to see an end to corruption and the return of peace and development”.
With 94% of ballots counted, 61.4% voted in favor and 38.6% voted against the draft constitution, which could give extra powers to the military. Early results show more than 60 percent support the measure. Officials said turnout was around 55 per cent of the 50.2 million people eligible to vote, around the same as past such ballots.
But, asked whether a junta-appointed Senate should have a role in choosing the prime minister, the vote was 58.1 per cent for and 41.9 per cent against.
“All these interferences have inevitably led us to have contempt for the sentiments of those who claim to be “friends” of Thailand”, the statement said.
But critics say the charter will augment military power and straitjacket elected officials.
“If approved, the charter will allow the military and its proxies to tighten their grip on power and cement their influence in political affairs”.
– A 250-member appointed Senate that includes the commanders of the army and other security services.
– Emergency decrees enacted by the junta without any parliamentary consent remain valid.
“It seems that right now people trust the military more than politicians”, said Thida Thavornseth, an adviser to the pro-democracy Red Shirt movement.
Thailand has endured 13 successful military coups and 11 attempted takeovers since it replaced an absolute monarchy with a constitutional one in 1932. This would be Thailand’s 20th constitution.
The Pheu Thai party made several criticisms on the draft constitution, such as too much curtailment of administrative officials and too much power bestowed upon the Constitutional Court and any independent organizations, the possible generation of a multiparty government which is not stable enough to run the country, and a almost impossible amendment of the constitution, adding that it is also unfair that the draft exempts the NCPO from any punishments.
Human Rights Watch recently expressed alarm that the military government has brought sedition charges against some critics of the draft document, saying it “creates a climate of fear”.
Thaksin and his allies have won every election since 2001, but have been removed from power either by the courts or in coups during a decade of political turmoil pitting the Shinawatras against the military-royalist establishment.
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Anxiety over the ill health of 88-year-old King Bhumibol Adulyadej has compounded the crisis.
