A major campaign will be stepped up to raise public awareness of the need for people to cast their votes on the draft charter in the August 19 national referendum.

Minister to the Prime Minister’s Office Thirapat Serirangsan said that the Government would hold a “Democracy Festival” to promote the referendum and the people’s participation in the next general election, which is scheduled for the end of the year. The festival will take place at the IMPACT Exhibition Center, Muang Thong Thani, in Nonthaburi province from August 3 to 5, between 10:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. each day.

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont will preside over the opening ceremony on August 3, when he will announce a declaration on the development of Thai politics. On this occasion, the Prime Minister, together with the Chairman of the Council for National Security, the Chairman of the Constitution Drafting Committee, the President of the National Legislative Assembly, and the Chairman of the Election Commission of Thailand, will jointly issue the statement “Democratic Development under the Declaration on the Development of Thai Politics.” Also participating in this event will be members of the diplomatic corps and international organizations, as well as representatives of the public, private, and civic sectors.

A total of 2,550 balloons with a message of democracy will be released and sent aloft. Other activities will include an exhibition to provide visitors with knowledge about Thai history and major events in Thai politics and discussions on various topics, such as the future of Thailand’s economic and political development. The event also features a youth forum, a debate on democracy, and cultural shows relating to Thai democracy from various perspectives. On August 5 at 8:00 p.m., Thai people nationwide will join forces in announcing the “Declaration on the Development of Thai Politics 2007.” The announcement will show the unity of the people for exercising their voting rights in the upcoming charter referendum on August 19.

A total of 10,000 sets of exhibitions to promote the referendum are being sent for display in all provinces from August 3 to 5. The run to carry a democracy declaration flag, which started on 1 July 2007, is making its way across the country. The bearers of the flag joining the run will arrive at the Democracy Monument in Bangkok on August 2. They will present the flag to Prime Minister Surayud at Government House and the flag will be forwarded to the Democracy Festival at Muang Thong Thani.

The Prime Minister would like to see more than half the country’s 45 million eligible voters cast their ballots in the August 19 referendum. Ballot papers allow voters to either accept or reject the 2007 constitution. He said that, if most people accepted the charter, a meeting would be held to set the election date, so that political parties would have time to prepare their election campaigns.