Head of student union forced out as debate on monarchy intensifies
Just a few years ago, student activism and protests were a rarity at Chulalongkorn University – considered Thailand’s most elite and staunchly conservative campus. Yet Thailand’s oldest university, named after King Chulalongkorn, has since become yet another battleground for debate over the role of Thailand’s monarchy and political system.
Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal, head of student union at Chulalongkorn University: ‘They think I’m symbolic of something they have to get rid of.’The student union has provoked the ire of royalists by questioning the university’s politics and traditions.
Parit, who faces hundreds of years in prison over his activism, was released last week after spending more than 200 days in pre-trial detention. The court requested bail of 2m baht for his release; within hours, an online campaign raised more than 10m baht.
Young people’s attitudes towards politics have changed dramatically over the past few years, said Sirin Mungcharoen, known by the nickname Fleur, who recently graduated from Chulalongkorn University. A, provoking the anger of its young support base, was one of several events that galvanised students. The party had been accused of receiving an illegal loan, a claim it denied.
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