PM adamant about academics
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Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha would not back down on prohibiting academics from expressing political views, saying: "If they don't fear [the] laws, let them [go ahead]."
The remark was made at his weekly press briefing at Government House. It was in response to the case of Chiang Mai-based lecturers being summoned by the police for violating the National Council for Peace and Order’s ban on gatherings of more than five people.
The academics held a press conference last month to deliver a statement titled “Universities Are Not Military Camps” to counter criticism that higher-education institutions’ teachings were against the government.
Five academics, including Chiang Mai University professors Attachak Sattayanurak and Somchai Preechasilpakul, were called to the police yesterday. They denied the charge and were discharged without bail, but were scheduled to appear in court later, a policeman said.
Prayut said they were the old faces. Military men had been sent to “talk” to them and “ask” for cooperation to give lectures that conformed to the law, he said.
The PM implied that their speeches and statements were against the law.
“Are they teaching students to be good? No. Are they teaching students to obey the laws?” Prayut asked.
Also, he said unlimited freedom of speech led to conflict. They should spread the word about how the junta was laying the ground for the country to move forward, he said.
Meanwhile, a network of international scholars known as “Scholars at Risk” has submitted a letter to Prayut urging him to direct authorities to ensure a full, impartial, timely investigation and public reporting on the incident as clearly as possible and to drop any charges or proceedings against the professors.
The letter included supportive messages for the summoned lecturers, saying they had only been exercising their rights and freedoms.
