Elephants help campaign ahead of Thailands referendum

Thai elephants help boost awareness of the August 7 referendum by handing out leaflets to motorists in Ayuthaya Province on Monday (August 1).

The animals took to the streets, along with Thai students, to encourage Thais to vote on whether to accept the draft constitution.

A local election commission official said that with the help of the elephants, he believed everyone in all of 16 districts of Ayuthaya Province will go out to vote.

Riangthongbaht Meepan, the general manager of the Elephant Palace and Royal Kraal which owns the elephants, said the friendly animals were doing their jobs in helping Thais to move forward with a referendum.

Less than three weeks before a contentious constitutional referendum, Thailand’s military government is scrambling to drum up support, broadcasting songs and television programmes in a vigourous public relations campaign.

The military, which took power from an elected government in May 2014, says its draft constitution will ensure stability in a country rocked by political turmoil and military takeovers for more than a decade.

But critics, including major political parties, say the charter would give the military too much power over elected governments, and would not resolve fundamental differences between populist political forces and the military-dominated establishment.

The government has said if the draft is rejected, it would hold an election under one of 19 previous constitutions.

There are about 50 million eligible voters. The Election Commission has said it expects an 80 percent turnout.