The flaws in the constitution are not limited to intentional ambiguity and vagueness, for major issue can be found in chapter four, which despite not being included within the section marked specifically for listing the rights of Thai people, clearly limits the freedoms of the Thai people and must be addressed. Chapter four is entitled “Duties of the Thai People,” and delineates the relationship between the Thai people and the executive government. The first of these “duties” is listed under section seventy and states “Every person has a duty to protect and uphold the nation, the religion, the King, an the democratic regime with the King as the Head of State.” When combined with section seventy one, which states “ Every person has a duty to defend the country, to protect the interests of the country and obey the law,” the rights from the previous chapter are almost entirely undermined. By including these clauses, the government essentially states that if they deem anything that a Thai person is doing, whether it be accessing information that criticizes the government or practicing an unpopular religion, that person will be violating their duties.
