University president rejected govt warnings

The report quotes AIT president Professor Said Irandoust as saying, “AIT was in the process of discussing the issue with the Education and Foreign ministries to ensure total compliance with Thai law.” I would like to note that I have been making suggestions since February 24 that he should do just that. But for nearly eight months he failed to do so.

The report also states: “He said the students’ protest might have been motivated by a conflict between him and the institute’s alumni association.” The fact is that the students were not protesting but rather requesting help. And that did not stem from the mentioned cause, but from the clear legal points made in the letters of the Council of State of September 4 and the letters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of September 13 on why the government was refusing to ratify AIT’s new charter. Irandoust rejected both of these.

Thanin Bumrungsap, 

AIT Alumni Association (Thailand) president

Bangkok