Main content

Thai Vote Backs Military's Constitution

A clear majority of Thai referendum voters have backed a draft constitution written by an army-appointed committee.

In Thailand a clear majority of voters have approved of a military-drafted constitution in a national referendum. The draft charter had been widely criticised for entrenching the influence of the armed forces in politics and weakening future elected governments. Campaigning against was banned by the military government.

Huge crowds have gathered in Istanbul to protest against last month's attempted coup in Turkey. At one of the largest rallies, the Turkish President, Recep Erdogan, told a huge crowds he would approve the death penalty if it was backed by parliament and the public. He also attacked the European Union for its criticism of the plans.

It's two years exactly this week since the Kremlin responded to a growing raft of international sanctions against its political leaders and companies, by responding with sanctions of its own. They began with a ban on agricultural imports from the west. Consuming French and Italian cheese used to symbolise middle-class prestige in Moscow. Now Russian-made substitutes are your only after-dinner option. The 主播大秀's Olga Slobodchikova has been investigating what some call a new dawn for Russian cheese.

Picture: A man casts his ballot during the constitutional referendum in Thailand. Credit: Madaree Tohlala/AFP/Getty Images

Available now

23 minutes

Last on

Mon 8 Aug 2016 00:06GMT

Broadcast

  • Mon 8 Aug 2016 00:06GMT