As the general election draws nearer, the military regime is right about one thing -- a seeming lack of understanding about the new poll system among the electorate. However, the regime has assigned itself the wrong task in trying to raise people's awareness.
Army chief Apirat Kongsompong, in his capacity as secretary-general of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), has ordered the government's Damrongtham complaint centres to hit the road and visit villages in the provinces in an effort to "educate" voters about the new electoral system.
The current constitution and the organic law governing elections of MPs introduce new election rules that will weaken large political parties, mainly targeting the Pheu Thai Party.
Among them is the use of a single ballot for both constituency and party-list MPs. When voters go to polling stations next year, they will select MPs to represent them in 350 constituencies, down from 375 seats in previous elections. But they will no longer have a chance to cast party-list votes. Instead, the votes cast for losing constituency candidates will be recycled to calculate the number of party-list seats, rather than being thrown away like in the past.
Beyond this complex system, their votes will also determine whether the lower and upper houses will be dominated by a particular political alliance. This is because the constitution allows the NCPO to handpick 250 senators for a five-year transition period following the poll. At the same time, there will be pro-NCPO political parties contesting in the election.
Without a doubt, voters need to not only have a clear understanding of the new electoral system but must also be made aware of the new power-sharing structure in parliament.
Gen Apirat understands this complexity. But he misunderstands the NCPO's role. It is the job of the Office of the Election Commission (EC) to lead public education and awareness campaigning. The same role should also be taken up by the media, NGOs and political parties. But it is neither the task of the NCPO nor the Damrongtham complaint centres that it has established in each province since 2014.
One reason that makes the centres not cut out for the task is their composition. Its members are comprised of Interior Ministry officials, police and military officers.
Since the coup, the presence of the military in communities, schools and other local government agencies has done more harm than good. People, especially those living in areas seen as Pheu Thai political strongholds, regard it as state intimidation.
As the country gears up towards civilian rule, the military in fact needs to distance itself from politics. Dispatching groups of men in uniform to villages to educate voters will not bring about an environment conducive for the election but instead deepen the climate of fear.
Gen Apirat's plan reminds many of a similar tactic employed, but which proved unhelpful, during campaigning ahead of the 2016 constitutional referendum. The regime then mobilised and dispatched army reserve force students and local teachers to "educate" people about the constitution.
The regime and the Election Commission also imposed restrictions on campaigning by activists and politicians, slapping those who violated the referendum law with criminal lawsuits.
Even though a majority of people voted for the constitution, it is doubtful to what extent state campaigns helped foster understanding among the electorate about the charter. Observers believe people voted for it because they simply wanted an end to the political turmoil and to start afresh with a new election.
Ahead of the poll next year, the EC needs to do a better job in helping the electorate understand the new electoral system. The NCPO at the same time must allow all other stakeholders to play a similar role. By that stage, it will be time for the soldiers to go back to their barracks, not the other way around.
