Thammasat University administrators on Monday gave the green light to the Nitirat group of lecturers to organise activities on the campus but warned they must be held as academic exercises.
The about-face came after the Thammasat Student Union and Thammasat University Student Council asked the university’s administrators to review its Jan 30 ban on the group from organising a campaign to reform the lese majeste law.
Pornchai Trakulwaranont, vice rector for Research and Educational Services, said a meeting of administrators agreed to make the following clarifications:
1. The administrators of Thammasat University adhere to the university’s principle that there is freedom in every inch of Thammasat and insists that the institute remains fully open to academic freedom and freedom of speech.
2. If the exercise of that freedom lead to a possible confrontation between dissident groups and could trigger violence, Thammasat will implement necessary measures to prevent it from happening.
3. Thammasat permits the use of facilities/premises for all activities to express opinions based on academic freedom, but they must be organised under the following terms:
3.1 Organisers must ensure that their activities proceed within the framework of the law.
3.2 Organisers must prohibit actions that provoke violence or lead to confrontations with opposing groups.
3.3 Organisers must end their activities within the requested time without blocking walkways or causing problems for others.
4. All announcements concerning strict use of facilities/premises are applied equally to all dissident groups and will remain in effect until further notice.
Mr Pornchai said all members of the administrative body respected freedom of speech and academic freedom as long as that freedom is based on the principles of peace and toleration, respect for people’s rights, decency and based on academic grounds.
He said the university will not prevent Nitirat from organising academic activities related to the controversial law but said it will look into each activity on a case-by-case basis.
Meanwhile, Panitan Prueksakasemsuk, son of lese majeste suspect Somyot Prueksakasemsuk, shaved his head in front of the Ratchada Criminal Court on Monday morning to draw attention to his hunger campaign in support of bail for his father.
Mr Panitan, who began a 112-hour fast on Saturday afternoon outside the court, said several of his friends will also shave their heads in protest. The 112 hours is symbolic of Section 112 of the Criminal Code, the lese majeste law.
Mr Panitan, a Thammasat University law student, submitted a letter to the court asking that his father be allowed bail. His father's six applications to date have all been refused. The letter was received by a representative of the chief judge.
In his letter, Mr Panitan asked the court for fair treatment for his father and other similar cases. He also asked the court to consider his father's right to bail.
Mr Panitan, a Thammasat University law student, submitted a letter to the court asking that his father be allowed bail. His father's six applications to date have all been refused. The letter was received by a representative of the chief judge.
In his letter, Mr Panitan asked the court for fair treatment for his father and other similar cases. He also asked the court to consider his father's right to bail.
If the court rejects his plea, he will continue his peaceful protest.
A group of people turned up in front of the court to show their support for Mr Panitan.
A medical team also checked on Mr Panitan's health.
Mr Somyot, 51, a labour activist and executive editor of the now-defunct "Voice of Thaksin" magazine, is accused of having published anti-monarchist articles. He was arrested at an immigration checkpoint in Sa Kaeo province on April 30 last year while trying to cross into Cambodia.
Bangkok Post
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