25 university rectors issue statement against amnesty bill

The statement expressed concern that the amnesty bill would jeopardise the anti-corruption campaigns that the CUPT has been leading among university students because those convicted or accused in corruption cases would be whitewashed by the bill.

In the statement, they said this amnesty bill runs against the law and sent a wrong message that corruption is excusable.

They added that it would derail Thailand's efforts to eradicate corruption.

“The amnesty bill … will set a wrong moral standard in Thai society because it will cause a misunderstanding that corruption is not a serious crime and those who commit it will eventually be absolved in an amnesty,” the statement said.

“The CUPT feels that the campaigns against corruption are important and has launched the ‘university graduates must not cheat’ programme. The programme has been promoted throughout this year and it will be successful only when there are good examples that wrongdoers will be punished without being absolved.

The statement was signed initially by 18 rectors of Thammasat University, Srinakharinwirot University, Walailak University, Suranaree University, National Institute of Development Administration, Sukhothai Thammathirat University, Khon Kaen University, Chiang Mai University, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Nakhon Phanom University, Mahasarkham University, Maejo University, Silpakorn University, Prince of Songkhla University, Chulalongkorn University, Thaksin University, Prince Narathiwat University, Mahidol University, and Burapha University.

Later, the CUPT announced that seven more rectors signed the joint statement.