The voice of students is loud and strong
Though most students nowadays prefer to join campaigns on social media, many are now taking to the streets to voice their opposition against the blanket amnesty bill, which was recently passed by the House of Representatives.
Apart from the big show of opposition on Bangkok’s streets, students from several universities have also been organising activities to show take a unified stand.
Perattaya Damsri, president of Thammasat University’s student council, explained that though university students do not easily take their protests to the streets, she believes the “student power” in this era is no less than the power they had during the popular uprising of October 1973. She said students nowadays did not take to the streets so much because their social surroundings had changed.
“Though people don’t see students participating in street rallies, the Thammasat Student Council always organises seminars about politics and there is always good attendance,” the council president said.
Perattaya added that most of the students voiced their opinions via social media such as Facebook and Twitter – a sign that the young are not ready to accept things silently. For instance, the student-led movement on social media against the blanket amnesty bill is getting stronger as more and more youngsters join the campaign.
Uthai Yodmanee, a leader of the Students and People Network for Thailand’s Reform – who are currently rallying at Urupong intersection – said students have not been able to protest against the government over the past few years because they did not have a proper channel. Though, he said he was not sure if the voice of the students was powerful enough to block the bill.
Watcharin Ruangritkul, a student from Rangsit University, said he had joined the Urupong rally because he believed the amnesty bill was illegal and that he and other students like him wanted to help blow the whistle on this government.
Somphob Dondee, a representative from Chulalongkorn University, said he and his friends were no longer afraid of openly fighting against the amnesty bill because the Council of University Presidents of Thailand had announced its stance against the bill as well.
Several student organisations across the nation have taken a stand against the bill.
