Bangkok, 12 September 2018 – The chairman of the Constitution Drafting Commission (CDC) has expressed concern over election campaigning via social media, saying some citizens may miss out on crucial information or be misled.
At the CDC’s final official meeting, members received a book titled “In the Hearts of CDC 2017” as a souvenir of their service. After the discussion however, Chairman Meechai Ruchuphan remarked that the Election Commission (EC) has been empowered by law to regulate the use of social media in election campaigning and implored it to control use of the tool as it can be used to misinform the public or even inflict legal harm. He urged citizens themselves to be wary of sharing online information during the campaign period.
On the scope of authority wielded by the administration, Meechai said the government will have full authority during the election period as it will not be considered an interim administration.
In the souvenir book, Meechai details the inner workings of the CDC from the start of the Gen Prayut Chan-ocha government, acknowledging that he suggested Bowornsak Uwanno for the CDC due to his experience in constitution drafting and lamenting that Bowornsak’s drafts were shot down by the National Reform Council, leading to Meechai himself taking on a CDC position. He admitted that while he felt the task was a burden he saw it as his duty to the nation.
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