Voters approve a new draft constitution giving extra powers to military in Thailand

In Thailand, voters have approved a new draft constitution, giving extra powers to the military, reports CNN. The country's election commission Sunday evening said more than 61 per cent have voted in favour and over 38 voted against the draft constitution, after the counting of 94 per cent ballots. 

However, the official results will be declared on Wednesday.

Thailand's military, which seized control of the government in a 2014 coup after months of political instability and sporadic violence, had called the



referendum. The referendum also asked the voters to vote on whether to allow the country's Senate to jointly vote for Prime Minister along with the House of Representatives. 

About 58 per cent voted to allow the Senate to jointly vote for the Prime Minister, while almost 42 per cent rejected it, according to the Thai Election Commission.

Turnout was about 55 per cent, the election commission said, well below its target figure of 80 per cent. An estimated 50 million voters were eligible for vote.