Junta 'overreacting' by cancelling university talks

Chamnan, who was involved in both the cancelled events at the university, said he and his colleagues would continue to try and organise a political talk despite the fact that the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) and Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha’s government insist on organisers seeking permission first. 

“We shall change the topic, change the method. Otherwise what’s the point of having a university?” Chamnan told The Nation over the phone from Chiang Mai. 

The second talk, on shame and the right to freedom of speech slated for yesterday, had to be abruptly called off after a local Army officer contacted the organisers. 

“I think they have a very narrow worldview,” Chamnan said. “They haven’t studied history and phenomena in other parts of the world. Let me put it this way – it was horrible, beyond expectation.”

Chamnan shrugged off the threat of the junta silencing all critics, saying it was impossible in this age. The talk was set to feature four academics, including Chamnan. 

“It’s impossible to shut all critics, he said, adding that the junta needs to be less paranoid about perceived threats. 

Chamnan, who is a key member of the Midnight University, a community of scholars and activists based in Chiang Mai province, said the group would keep trying to hold politics-related talks both inside and outside university walls without asking for permission. He said it would be up to the NCPO to issue a letter requesting to have it cancelled. 

“If the military wants us to cancel the talk, we will need to get a letter from them,” he said, referring to the letters “requesting for cooperation” the authorities have been issuing. However, Chamnan acknowledged that universities in provinces were facing an extra hurdle, as local military officers tend to be more cautious and might end up not permitting more academic talks than their peers in Bangkok. 

Colonel Winthai Suvari, deputy spokesperson for the NCPO, told reporters yesterday that the junta just wanted organisers to submit a request so talks that might create social division can be stopped. He added that Thailand was still in a “special period” and that the NCPO wanted to see people organising activities that are constructive instead.