PM confirms Bangkok campus to be relocated after decades of deadly student rivalry

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin and his higher education minister confirmed that

Rajamangala University of Technology Tawan-Ok's Uthenthawai Campus must move from its current site on land owned by Chulalongkorn University.

The confirmation followed an attack last week by Uthenthawai alumni that reportedly led to the death of a Pathumwan Institute of Technology student.

Srettha and Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation Minister Supamas Isarabhakdi were responding to a point raised by Democrat party-list MP Chuan Leekpai in Parliament on Thursday.

Chuan asked the prime minister and education minister to clarify the issue following confusing reports that Uthenthawai Campus had been barred from recruiting students this year.

Chuan said the order would affect 600 new students, threatening their chance of further education. He said no past go government had barred a university from enroĺing students. Chuan said latest reports indicated the education minister had changed her order on Wednesday to allow the university to entol students as long as they didn’t study at Uthenthawai.

Chuan asked whether the government had prepared a site and budget for relocation of the campus and whether students in their second year and beyond would have to be moved away as well.

Srettha replied that he was saddened by the decades of fatal fights between students of Uthenthawai Campus and Pathumwan Institute of Technology (PIT).

He said the government wanted to solve the issue but the two institutions played a vital role in producing mechanics, engineers and the skilled worforce required to attract investment. Without the two institutions, the country would not have enough engineers to meet demand from foreign firms, he added.

“They are crucial mechanisms for driving the country forward. But the government also wants to tackle this chronic issue [of student violence],” Srettha said.

As such, the Education Ministry and Treasury Department have been tasked with finding a new and appropriate site for the campus, he said.

Supamas had also ordered all institutions blighted by violent student rivalry to set up centres to monitor and prevent the street fighting.

Srettha said he also instructed police to beef up security around key university anniversaries, which often see violence flare.

Supamas said the Supreme Administrative Court has ordered the return of Uthenthawai Campus to Chulalongkorn University, which owns the plot of land. Uthenthawai would have to start relocation this year and plan student recruitment accordingly, she said.

Options for Uthenthawai include relocation to the university's Bang Phra Campus in Chon Buri, Chakrabongse Bhuwanat Campus in Bangkok’s Din Daeng district, a Treasury Department plot in Samut Prakan or a donated plot in Minburi.

Supamas said her ministry would coordinate with the Budget Bureau and Chulalongkorn University for budget or relocation costs.

She said Uthenthawai Campus would have to start moving its Faculty of Engineering and Architecture to the Chakrabongse Bhuwanat Campus on March 12.

Srettha added that the Finance Ministry would seek a final site for the campus.

In December 2022, the Supreme Administrative Court ruled that Uthenthawai had to vacate its current site within 60 days. However, the university stayed put and students pleaded with Supamas in October last year to be allowed to stay.

The campus is on 20 rai of land leased from Chulalongkorn in 1935 for 68 years. The lease expired in 2003 and Chulalongkorn has been pushing unsuccessfully for the return of the land since 1975.

In 2002, the Treasury Department offered Uthenthawai the use of 36 rai of land in Samut Prakan’s Bang Phli district, while the government allocated 200 million baht to fund the construction of buildings. But relocation never took place due to strong protests by students.