The red-shirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship's (UDD) launch of a centre to monitor fraud in the Aug 7 referendum on the draft constitution probably contravenes the regime's orders, Interior Minister Anupong Paojinda said Tuesday.
Since the UDD had announced it will not vote for the draft charter in the upcoming referendum, this means it would likely not be neutral in its activities, Gen Anupong said.
"Personally, I do not think the launch is allowed [under the National Council for Peace and Order's [NCPO] orders]," he said.
He was responding to the launch of the UDD's fraud monitoring centre on Sunday at the Imperial World Lat Phrao department store. The event was attended by core members including Jatuporn Prompan, Nattawut Saikuar and Tida Tawornseth.
The NCPO is considering taking action against the centre, Gen Anupong said, though he refused to give further details about what the NCPO intended to do.
Thawip Netniyom, secretary-general of National Security Council (NSC), said the NSC would begin monitoring the centre to see if it violates the referendum law.
During the lead-up to the referendum, activities by several political groups are expected, he said.
These activities will be permitted as long as they do not violate the law, Gen Thawip said.
Mr Nattawut, meanwhile, responded to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha's stern comments criticising the fraud centre launch, saying the premier apparently does not understand the referendum process.
He said he wondered why setting up the fraud watch centre was perceived by Gen Prayut as violating the law.
As members of the public, the UDD has every right to form the centre, he said.
The UDD even has the right to announce that it will not accept the government installed by the coup makers, he added.
Mr Nattawut also said that by saying the UDD planned to send people to polling stations during the referendum, the group meant those people will observe the vote at each station, not interrupt the vote as feared by Gen Prayut.
More importantly, the Election Commission has the responsibility to regulate the referendum, not the government.
It is not something Gen Prayut should attempt to meddle in although he may have the authority to do so, Mr Nattawut said.
The Referendum Act does not prohibit such a fraud watch centre, but the NCPO has the authority, under its orders and laws, to ensure law and order, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said.
The UDD's launch of its centre is not deemed a violation of the Referendum Act for the time being as long as it does nothing that may be deemed as breaking this specific law, Mr Wissanu said.
The deputy premier also assured an Ombudsman's petition seeking the Constitutional Court's interpretation of Section 61 of the referendum law, which some critics say restricts people's freedom of expression, would not affect the referendum schedule.