PM sees funny side as student makes protest during speech
Play
Boy, 16, handed to police but later released without charge
A student protester who displayed a banner demanding education reform during the prime minister’s Anti-Corruption Day speech yesterday was apprehended by security guards and turned over to Pathumwan Police Station, before being released.
The Mathayom 5 (Grade 11) student from a prestigious high school said he had planned to put his petition for education reform directly in the PM’s hand with the intention of cultivating an anti-graft mentality.
The message on the banner was neither violent nor offensive to the government or anyone, he said.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha was at the Centara Grand Hotel delivering a speech on the government’s progress in promoting reform and tackling the corruption problem.
“The government is not hunting down anyone. We are just bringing unresolved cases to justice,” he said.
“Even though I can do anything by employing Section 44, the use of this power is not interfering with the judicial system. My duty is to enforce legislation so that the country can move on,” he said.
During the question-and-answer session following the speech, the
student hoisted his banner and asked the PM to cut back the citizens’ duty class, add philosophy to the education curriculum and improve the teaching of history by making it less nationalistic.
The student was visited at the police station by members of Thammasat University’s Dome Front Agora.
His parents also went to the station to meet with police before he was released without charge.
Prayut was reportedly not surprised by the student’s outburst and he even saw the funny side.
“What’s happening? He’s still young. Please take good care of him and please understand the security officers, they have had to watch over me carefully lately.”
He jokingly asked if the student was on “his side” and told the
security guards to be gentle with him if he was.
