Thailand:Thais vote on a military-drafted constitution few have read or understood tomorrow in a referendum expected to approve a charter that will pave the way for a return to elected government by the end of the year.
For many, the complicated fight over the charter, which takes power from politicians and hands it to bureaucrats and judges, has come down to a battle between friends and foes of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, ousted in a bloodless coup.
Mr Thaksin, living in exile in London since the coup last year, has hired lawyers in Britain to fight the extradition that is likely to be sought by Bangkok, his spokesman said yesterday.
An arrest warrant was issued for him this week after he failed to turn up in court to answer corruption charges.
Mr Thaksin would argue that the charges he faces were politically motivated, said his Bangkok lawyer. The new constitution was designed to prevent the re-emergence of a strong, single-party government like Mr Thaksin's, and means a return to the constantly collapsing coalitions of the early 1990s, analysts say.
Politicians would also be hindered by the increased power of bureaucrats, as happened during the "managed democracy" of the 1980s under ex-army chief Prem Tinsulanonda, now chief royal adviser and seen by the Thaksin camp as the coup mastermind.
"Thaksin has obviously been on the mind of the drafters, so what has come out is an attempt to prevent the rise of a second Thaksin, hence making it difficult for people to get elected," said former senator Kraisak Choonhavan, an opponent of Mr Thaksin.
Few believe an anti-charter campaign, spearheaded by Mr Thaksin's supporters but including some foes, will succeed in voting it down, but a low turnout would be an embarrassment for the generals who deposed him. "The chances are high that the referendum will pass and the reason is because the government and the military have all the powers in their hands," said Prof Thitinan Pongsudhirak of Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University.
As in most Thai elections, allegations of vote buying and strong-arm tactics are flying.
The military council behind the coup and the government it appointed are striving to get at least 60 per cent of the 45 million voters to cast ballots, arguing that the new charter would provide an "ethical" and "legitimate" democracy.
Coup leaders have enlisted 400,000 military personnel to persuade people to back the charter, branded by Mr Thaksin as "fruit of the poisonous tree".
The interior ministry has instructed governors of all 76 provinces to order 80,000 village chiefs to get as many people as possible to vote, and awards will be given to the governors whose provinces have the highest turnouts.
- (Reuters)