Consumer rights groups said they were being denied a voice. Sureerat Trimakkha, coordinator for the People's Health System Movement, said the draft was drawn up by people with archaic ideas about the public health service system. The groups, which held a seminar at Thammasat University yesterday, said the draft restricted rights on environmental issues and public hearings, and failed to address public health issues across the economic spectrum. The Open Forum for Democracy Foundation called on state agencies to create a favourable climate for discussion before the referendum. The committee said the Meechai draft was similar to the constitution of 1991 which was blamed for sparking the Black May violence the following year.

Source: Bangkok Post July 23, 2016 23:26 UTC