A key leader of the anti-establishment red shirt reported that the military ordered the red shirts referendum watch centers to be closed in many provinces. Meanwhile, the red shirt invited the UN for monitoring the draft charter referendum.
Thida Thavornseth, key leaders of the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), the main red shirt faction affiliated with Thaksin Shinnawatra, posted a status on her facebook account that many soldiers on Friday, 17 June 2016, visited the UDD's referendum watch centers in the northeastern province of Sakon Nakhon, the central province of Prachinburi and the eastern province of Rayong.
The soldiers ordered the local red shirt leaders who are running the referendum watch centers to close them down.
The red shirts, however, refused to obey the authorities and said that they will continue to run the centers as planned for the upcoming draft constitution referendum, saying that people should be given chances to participate in passing the draft constitution as much as possible.
On the same day, Jatuporn Prompan, leader of the UDD, Nuttawut Saikua, Thida and other prime leaders of the UDD, submitted a letter to the UN Headquarter in Bangkok, inviting the UN to take parts in monitoring the draft constitution referendum, which will be held on 7 August 2016.
Earlier this week, two local red shirt leaders from the northern province of the Phayao were summoned into the 34th Military Circle over the referendum watch centers. The soldiers told the two that opening such centers is prohibited. However, when one of the two asked them which law prevents them to do so, the authorities could not give them an answer.
Thida Thavornseth reporting via facebook about soldiers' visits on the UDD referendum watch centers in many provinces on 17 June 2016
Key leaders of the UDD in front of the UN Headquarter in Bangkok on 17 June 2016 to invite the UN to take parts in monitoring the draft constitution referendum