Academics back students' political protests, urge powers to desist from intimidation

By The Nation

 

The Thai Academic Network for Civil Rights issued a statement on July 25 asking authorities not to prohibit youth-led protests.

 

Thai academics have thrown their support behind youth-led protests against the government, citing freedom of expression.

 

The Thai Academic Network for Civil Rights issued on Saturday a public statement supporting student-led nationwide protests against the government.

 

The academic group said protesters have exercised their rights in line with democratic politics, so authorities could not prohibit them from participating in such protest activities.

 

The academics have stated four points about the ongoing protests, which have intensified in recent days in many provinces across the country. They said:

 

▪︎Authorities must not prohibit peaceful demonstration by citing the emergency decree or using force against protesters. They must not intimidate students directly or indirectly via school or university administrators.

 

▪︎School and university administrators must have moral courage and ensure students' safety for their freedom of expression activities held in educational compounds.

 

▪︎State authorities must not  take legal action against students and people joining the protests. And previous legal actions against protesters must be dropped.

 

▪︎Students' parents have to promote freedom of expression and protect their political rights. Given that school students are now targeted for intimidation by state authorities, parents must not become a tool of the authoritarian regime using schools’ regulations to suppress their freedom of expression.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30391962

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-07-27

 

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20 minutes ago, webfact said:

The academic group said protesters have exercised their rights in line with democratic politics,

The sad thing is, democratic politics is not really practiced in Thailand.

It was last seen here, prior to the 2014 illegal ousting of a democratically elected government.

2 hours ago, webfact said:

State authorities must not  take legal action against students.

The crowd in power will take any action they want against protesters, legal or illegal.

They will do anything they can to stay in control.

3 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

The sad thing is, democratic politics is not really practiced in Thailand.

It was last seen here, prior to the 2014 illegal ousting of a democratically elected government.

"democratic politics is not really practiced in Thailand.".....Where is it practiced without policing taking place? Sure ain't the US or Australia to name just 2

It is time for a change . The old ' political elite ' had enough time by now to fill their pockets ...

Edited July 27, 20205 yr by nobodysfriend

34 minutes ago, nobodysfriend said:

It is time for a change . The old ' political elite ' had enough time by now to fill their pockets ...

If only. I'm sure the more they have, the more the want.

 

2 hours ago, colinneil said:

The crowd in power will take any action they want against protesters, legal or illegal.

They will do anything they can to stay in control.

"Unidentified" men on scooters without license plates beat one activist.   That will happen again most likely.  The shadowy they will look to intimidate the leaders and their family.    

5 hours ago, webfact said:

The academic group said protesters have exercised their rights in line with democratic politics,

 

And the government will exercise their right to intimidation in line with the “Tyranny for Idiots” handbook.

 

 

2 hours ago, colinneil said:

The crowd in power will take any action they want against protesters, legal or illegal.

They will do anything they can to stay in control.

Think about how many students there are in Thailand... if they all join hands what are the officials going to do.. arrest & prosecute everyone?

That'll look great on worldwide TV...

2 hours ago, colinneil said:

The crowd in power will take any action they want against protesters, legal or illegal.

They will do anything they can to stay in control.

Those academics are pretty dim, IMO. They obviously don't know much about the real world.

3 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Think about how many students there are in Thailand... if they all join hands what are the officials going to do.. arrest & prosecute everyone?

That'll look great on worldwide TV...

Not been in LOS long then?

29 minutes ago, yellowboat said:

"Unidentified" men on scooters without license plates beat one activist.   That will happen again most likely.  The shadowy they will look to intimidate the leaders and their family.    

No "most likely" involved, only "likely".

My own opinion is that the old guard will now fight tooth and nail to keep their junta government for the simple fear that any 'immunity from prosecution' will be withdrawn in the future by a popularist government 

The Junta hates educated people as the educated people can see how the Junta are taking the country into a very deep hole which the country will take many years to get out of, it at all.

In the eastern neighbour this was likely the reason Khmer Rouge killed the academics. Let's see how it goes here. Looks like it's descending into the same hole, courtesy of Northern Commie Masters.

Edited July 27, 20205 yr by DrTuner

11 hours ago, ChrisY1 said:

"democratic politics is not really practiced in Thailand.".....Where is it practiced without policing taking place? Sure ain't the US or Australia to name just 2

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy_Index#Democracy_Index_by_country_2019

13 hours ago, colinneil said:

The crowd in power will take any action they want against protesters, legal or illegal.

They will do anything they can to stay in control.

Most unfortunately and certainly to their greatest extent.

11 hours ago, nobodysfriend said:

It is time for a change . The old ' political elite ' had enough time by now to fill their pockets ...

Agreed! But, you know it's never, ever going to be enough.