Thailand votes to approve new military-backed constitution

Thai officials said Sunday that with 94 percent of ballots counted, 61 percent of voters endorsed a new national constitution.

The referendum approved a charter written and supported by Thailand's military junta, which seized power in a 2014 coup and threw out the country's old constitution at that time. The new document will allow elections to take place next year, but will downgrade the authority of political parties and civilian politicians more generally.

The junta, which calls itself the National Council for Peace and Order, arrested activists who spoke against the new constitution before the vote and prohibited debate on the document, with which most Thai voters are not familiar. Outside accreditation of the election was not permitted, though Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha encouraged his fellow citizens to vote because "this is your duty and this is part of democracy, of an internationally-recognized process."

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