Students oppose bill granting Kasetsart
A draft bill turning Kasetsart University (KU) into an autonomous institution is being opposed by a number of students, who vow to continue rallying until the consideration of the bill is postponed.
About 50 students gathered outside Parliament yesterday, some of whom were wearing banners carrying their protest message. The students lodged their complaint addressed to House Speaker Somsak Kiatsuranont via an MP and a senator.
Nipitpon Khamyot, an engineering student who led the protest, said they wanted the bill to be postponed because the students had not learned about it before it was submitted to Parliament for consideration. He said students, lecturers, university personnel or general public had not been told about the bill.
However, KU President Assoc Prof Vudtechai Kapilakanchana insisted that nothing wrong had taken place in the process of drafting the bill. He said the university had followed the correct steps and had already provided an explanation to students and reported to the university council.
Nipitpon also claimed that the bill would give too much power to the university council and the president would be chairing a panel looking into corruption, which means the president will be inspecting his own administration.
He added that they would continue protesting until they are told that the consideration of the bill will be postponed.
