Twins who attacked Nitirat academic surrender

The surrender came as security measures are being boosted at the university’s Tha Prachan campus.
Supot and Supat Silarat, both 30 and residents of Pathum Thani’s Thanyaburi district, turned themselves in at Bangkok’s Chana Songkhram police station yesterday morning.
The brothers confessed that they had attacked Worachet in retaliation of his group’s campaign to amend Article 112 of the Criminal Code on lese majeste, Metropolitan Police commissioner Lt-General Winai Thongsong said. The duo also told police that they were not associated with any political groups and had never attended political protests.
“They said they had visited the university several times looking for Worachet, and decided to attack when they found him parking his car,” Winai said.
Police identified the twins after studying the university’s security-camera recording, which displayed the licence number of the getaway motorcycle, Winai said, adding that the duo could not be found at their home in Pathum Thani on Wednesday evening.
The two men were charged with premeditated assault and causing harm to a person. The offence carries an imprisonment of no more than three years, a maximum fine of Bt6,000 or both.
Chana Songkhram police station superintendent Lt-Colonel Nattakorn Kumsap said the twins have been released pending trial. The case will go to court as soon as the police obtain medical results on Worachet’s injuries, the officer said.
Supot told reporters yesterday that he was a vendor in Pathum Thani, and when asked the same question, his twin responded by threatening to kick the reporter. Supat has a history of violence and complaints of assault have been filed against him at Thanyaburi, Don Muang and Sai Mai police stations.
Worachet, leader of the controversial Nitirat (Enlightened Jurists) group of law lecturers, sustained injuries after being punched in the face. The assailants fled on a motorcycle after the attack.
Meanwhile, Thammasat vice rector Udom Ratamarit summoned faculty staff yesterday to discuss increased security measures following Wednesday’s incident. He said that though the existing security cameras had provided enough information to identify the assailants, more cameras would be installed and all motorcyclists entering the campus would be asked to produce ID cards.
“There will be more work for our officials and it will be less convenient for visitors,” he said.
Udom added that Thammasat lecturers who were members of the Nitirat group would also be provided police protection.
The university and its Law Association yesterday issued separate statements condemning the attack. TU’s statement said the incident threatened academic freedom, while the association said the attack was aimed at causing social division and chaos.
At TU’s Faculty of Law, a group of Nitirat supporters and red shirts gathered yesterday to offer moral support to Worachet, and though he was not present, his colleagues accepted flowers and gifts on his behalf.
Red-shirt leader Jaral Dittha-apichai said this attack “in broad daylight” was a violation of human rights and a threat to academic freedom. He said he suspected the attack was part of a plot to incite violence.
Meanwhile, Chulalongkorn University lecturer Sompong Jitradab yesterday denounced what he described as threat to academic freedom and “act of political hooliganism”. He also expressed concern that other academics in the Nitirat group might also be attacked in the same way.
Sompong said he expected “fierce politics” as a result of the confrontation over several contentious issues, including Article 112, constitutional amendment and ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra’s return to Thailand.
Opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said he was dismayed over the attack and expressed his opposition to any use of violence.
“We condemn any form of rights infringement. All parties involved should help prevent such incidents from happening again,” the Democrat Party leader said.