Nationwide Student Movement To Boycott Classes To 'save The Country'

[george]

Nationwide student movement to boycott classes to 'save the country'

BANGKOK: -- The so-called Country-Salvage Youth Network planned to have about 4,000 member students stop attending classes on a long-term basis at over 80 campuses nationwide in bid to press for Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej to step down, according to Wasant Wanich, a student activist.

Khon Kaen University student Wasant, said the student network will call on its members and others to stop showing up at their normally-scheduled classes on a long-term basis.

However, the activist students are yet to decide just how long they will remain absent from the classroom. Mr. Wasant said that the parents of some of the students would understand, however.

The Khon Kaen varsity student said the network will prove Mr. Samak's comment -- that there are only "just a handful" of students wanting him to vacate the office -- to be wrong and that thousands of students will eventually come out in protest against his premiership.

He said that the Country-Salvage Youth network will further discuss its plans to rise against Mr. Samak on Tuesday.

Mr, Wasant also criticised university lecturers who had earlier warned against students joining the anti-government protests and said they simply had the right to do so.

-- TNA 2008-09-07

[infernalman7]

The government wouldn't feel a thing. If these kids want Samak's attention so bad, they should start burning their unis.

[mgjackson69]

Fine...do not want to go to class, go back to the farm and grow rice

[Ricardo]

Was it the Education Minister who said, a week or 10 days ago, that the students should keep out of political affairs, and had no right to hold or show an opinion on current events ? Such a staunch defender of democracy !

Fine...do not want to go to class,go back to the farm and grow rice

Would they then magically regain their democratic rights, as poor farmers, I wonder ?

[lazeeboy]

i for one hope it dont happen .i pay a fortune for my niece to get her education,will be calling her to tell her not to ,or i might just pull her allowance ,and she can go home to a paddy field

[mgjackson69]

Was it the Education Minister who said, a week or 10 days ago, that the students should keep out of political affairs, and had no right to hold or show an opinion on current events ? Such a staunch defender of democracy !

Fine...do not want to go to class,go back to the farm and grow rice

Would they then magically regain their democratic rights, as poor farmers, I wonder ?

I would maintain that, until these children have worked, earned a living for themselves, paid taxes, been "out in the world", they do not have much of a basis for their opinion mattering.

[bangon04]

Just think - if this movement gains momentum in Bangkok, it will damage the economy. The shopping malls will be empty.......

[JAS21]

i for one hope it dont happen .i pay a fortune for my niece to get her education,will be calling her to tell her not to ,or i might just pull her allowance ,and she can go home to a paddy field

A very short sighted view. These are the people that in the future will vote. Fortunately for Thailand they have a mind of their own and won't vote for the party who gives them the most money. ie the most corrupt.

I have seen it stated on this forum 'my wife votes for whoever gives her the most money'. Why do people 'buy votes'..because they know that they will get it back many times over from backhanders. And who are the loosers?

It seems that only the educated understand this. Even if these future voters accept money they will have the sence to vote with their brains. Not like some areas of Thailand! No one has ever offered my wife money for her vote..they know that she would take it and then vote for whoever she wants..........

[angiud]

Fine...do not want to go to class, go back to the farm and grow rice

Wow! A so deep reflection...

[Teddy3943]

It will not make any difference, since the education is already on such a low level that go or not go to college will have the same result.

The fact that these students think to contribute to solve the present crisis by not going to class is the perfect example of their stupidity to, along with the PAD, create a political paradox regarding democracy. (I presume that more than half of them will not understand the meaning of this sentence)

Learn to accept an outcome of democratic elections! The present government would also not be my choice, but since the majority of the voters gave the PPP the majority in parliament, the rest of the country has to accept that fact. In many countries are minorities not happy with their government, but thank God they accept the democratic rules and use the parliament to speak for them, like it should be.

Don't create the "African way" here. The world is watching, so go home. Don't make Thailand the polical clown of the world.

[kurtdhis]

Don't make Thailand the polical clown of the world.

Bit late for that statement.

[mgjackson69]

i for one hope it dont happen .i pay a fortune for my niece to get her education,will be calling her to tell her not to ,or i might just pull her allowance ,and she can go home to a paddy field

A very short sighted view. These are the people that in the future will vote. Fortunately for Thailand they have a mind of their own and won't vote for the party who gives them the most money. ie the most corrupt.

I have seen it stated on this forum 'my wife votes for whoever gives her the most money'. Why do people 'buy votes'..because they know that they will get it back many times over from backhanders. And who are the loosers?

It seems that only the educated understand this. Even if these future voters accept money they will have the sence to vote with their brains. Not like some areas of Thailand! No one has ever offered my wife money for her vote..they know that she would take it and then vote for whoever she wants..........

Going to University does not mean that a person is "enlightened".

And if you are talking about "the educated"...the aforementioned group is not it.

[Moonrakers]

It will not make any difference, since the education is already on such a low level that go or not go to college will have the same result.

It is a protest, that if done in numbers will draw further national and international attention to this. If it succeeds then it will put further pressure on Samak meaning that the goal of the protest will have been achieved. They cannot force him to resign, but they can apply pressure on him to do so.

The fact that these students think to contribute to solve the present crisis by not going to class is the perfect example of their stupidity to, along with the PAD, create a political paradox regarding democracy. (I presume that more than half of them will not understand the meaning of this sentence)

And so a protest against the government will create a political paradox? Your statement is a paradox!, I presume that you do not understand the meaning of your own sentence.

Learn to accept an outcome of democratic elections! (*1) The present government would also not be my choice, but since the majority of the voters gave the PPP the majority in parliament (*2), the rest of the country has to accept that fact. In many countries are minorities not happy with their government, but thank God they accept the democratic rules and use the parliament to speak for them, like it should be.

1) And so the outcome of corruption, nepotism ect should also be accepted?

2) Oh please not thos "Majority of voters" crap again, it is a false statement. The PPP WERE NOT voted in by the majority, this is a FACT. May I direct you to www.google.com and suggest that you use it before further posts.

Don't create the "African way" here. The world is watching, so go home. Don't make Thailand the polical clown of the world.

Bugger, well there goes my plan of creating the "African way" here by posting on TV.

dam_n me for biting again, for now at least I shall blame it on the beer.

If only we could have some sort of sticky thread detailing the actual FACTS of this whole scenario.

[Tony Clifton]

Was it the Education Minister who said, a week or 10 days ago, that the students should keep out of political affairs, and had no right to hold or show an opinion on current events ? Such a staunch defender of democracy !

He openly lied to the entire country`s students by saying the state of emergency was on throughout the country instead of Bangkok only.

[medegen]

These students boycotting school.......... I think we need a Battle Royale! Look up "Battle Royale" on Google.

Edited September 8, 2008 by medegen

[sriracha john]

Shot students to see footage to identify attackers

The two Ramkhamhaeng University students, who were shot on Thursday night, will view security film to see if they can identify their attackers.

Anusak Sianoun and Apichart Nakrit, both 22, were shot while attending an anti-Samak Sundaravej demonstration.

They were among hundreds of students planning to march to his residence that night.

"The victims first gathered with their group at their campus. They will view the recordings from closed-circuit cameras there," a Metropolitan Police commander, MajGeneral Wimol Paoin, said yesterday.

Wimol said police believed motives for the attack are conflict among student leaders or protesters, local annoyance at the loud protest and a "third-party attempt to manipulate the political situation".

The Ramkhamhaeng University Network of Student's Power for Society condemned police General Jongrak Juthanont. Jongrak is both a deputy national police commissioner and acting metropolitan police chief.

The network is unhappy that Jongrak last week repeatedly suggested the two were shot because neighbours were angered by the use of loudspeakers.

"He should not try to influence the investigators in such a way," its statement said.

The network said the police should be on the side of the people.

"We hope local people will name the culprits in the shooting before the situation gets out of control," the statement said.

The network suspected the shooting was intended to deter students from joining anti-government protests.

Coordinator Sikhanan Noolek encouraged students throughout the country to boycott classes until Samak resigns or dissolves the House.

- The Nation / 2008-09-08

[OlRedEyes]

Ave of 50 students/campus. Not exactly a groundswell of dissent.

They may stop going to classes, but were they learning anything useful there in the first place. My experience is it will matter not a jot to their knowledge.

The circus continues.

[quiksilva]

Honestly, who cares whether a few students miss their classes, its not like that has never happened before!

[jamesjdaly]

Fine...do not want to go to class, go back to the farm and grow rice

Pol Pot would have been so proud!!

[WAERTH]

As a student I would seek out any excuse not to attend classes. I guess this is as good an excuse as any other!

Waerth

[geriatrickid]

As a student I would seek out any excuse not to attend classes. I guess this is as good an excuse as any other!

Waerth

Bingo. It's the exams coming up they want to miss. Exams would be rescheduled and give the kids some extra cramming time.

Wanna wager that if put to a vote on campus, it would not draw support from the science and engineering faculties or the grad student societies with maybe the exception of the social & political studies faculty? Doesn't matter the country, artsies in social & political studies are always up for a protest, especially if it means classes & exams are cancelled.

[junkofdavid2]

"Hey Mom!

You'll be so proud of me. I won't be hangin at the online-games cafe during class no more... I'll be at the rally!"

[Scott]

You mean....."Hey mom, you'll be so proud of me, I am supporting the PAD by hanging out at the local internet cafe and playing games all day!

[sriracha john]

Comission on Higher Education says students looking to protest have the right to do so

Secretary-General of the Commission on Higher Education Sumeth Yamnun commented on the emergence of university student networks rallying against the government and calling on students and teachers across the nation to take to civil unrest by suspending academic activity for 3 days starting tomorrow.

Mr. Sumeth stated that each university has the right to suspend operation according to their own regulations which cannot be interfered with by the Commission.

Mr. Sumeth noted however, that demonstrations conducted by university students have to be within reason and necessity. He asked that students excercise their rights with consideration to the consequences. The Commission on Higher Education has already notified universities under its supervision of their right to suspend activity but asked that security and education not be neglected.

- ThaiNews / 2008-09-08

[Teddy3943]

name='Teddy3943' post='2199237' date='2008-09-07 22:40:45']

The fact that these students think to contribute to solve the present crisis by not going to class is the perfect example of their stupidity to, along with the PAD, create a political paradox regarding democracy. (I presume that more than half of them will not understand the meaning of this sentence)

And so a protest against the government will create a political paradox? Your statement is a paradox!, I presume that you do not understand the meaning of your own sentence.

You show exactly what I meant. Only superficial thinking and the wrong idea about the meaning of the word paradox! You know something about Epimenides a Greek filosofer (lived about 2600 years ago)? If you want I can explain the political paradox for you, wich in the first place was created by the military coup of 2006.

And by the way: Bugger is not a very polite word to use. Think about the forum rules...

Bite again please.

[old wanderer]

It will not make any difference, since the education is already on such a low level that go or not go to college will have the same result.

The fact that these students think to contribute to solve the present crisis by not going to class is the perfect example of their stupidity to, along with the PAD, create a political paradox regarding democracy. (I presume that more than half of them will not understand the meaning of this sentence)

Learn to accept an outcome of democratic elections! The present government would also not be my choice, but since the majority of the voters gave the PPP the majority ??? (who knows) in parliament, the rest of the country has to accept that fact.

Don't create the "African way" here. The world is watching, so go home. Don't make Thailand the polical clown of the world.

Democratic you state......well then why is the election committee unanimously asking the courts to disband the PPP for voter fraud, and bar the senior members from politics for 5 years......????

ehhhh

Some democracy...

Why does the PPP has such disregard for even the Supreme Court of Thailand....Seems like when they found Pochiman guilty and set a 3 year jail term....they government should not have given her a diplomatic passport to travel the world?

[sriracha john]

Students warned over boycotting classes for anti-government protest

BANGKOK, Sept 7 (TNA) – Thailand's Ministry of Education has fired a 'warning shot across the bows' to get the attention of students about to take leave from their classrooms to demand the resignation of the prime minister and his government.

The ministry on Sunday officially warned the activist student group now designating itself as the 'Young PAD' to be fully aware of the significance of their class boycott to pressure Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej to resign.

Late Saturday students saying they represented some 80 institutions of higher learning nationwide called on their fellow students to absent themselves from classes and apply their energy and intellect to convince the prime minister to change his intention regarding staying in office.

The students say the prime minister's time at the helm of the ship of state is over now, and that its time to leave.

The Commission on Higher Education sent letters to all universities asking that the academic authorities monitor student movements and to them the gravity of the situation under the Emergency Decree imposed in Bangkok, and which remains in effect.

Secretary-General Sumet Yaemnun of the Office of Commission on Higher Education said that the office had not imposed any rule to bar students from expressing their political opinions and that their activities were not against university regulations.

However, he said that students should also think about their futures and be careful not to be convinced to do anything without understanding the real situation.

Mr. Sumet warned that if students did not attend enough classes, according to education sector rules, they may have to waste time repeating another term or retaking an exam.

[jbowman1993]

It will not make any difference, since the education is already on such a low level that go or not go to college will have the same result.

The fact that these students think to contribute to solve the present crisis by not going to class is the perfect example of their stupidity to, along with the PAD, create a political paradox regarding democracy. (I presume that more than half of them will not understand the meaning of this sentence)

Learn to accept an outcome of democratic elections! The present government would also not be my choice, but since the majority of the voters gave the PPP the majority ??? (who knows) in parliament, the rest of the country has to accept that fact.

Don't create the "African way" here. The world is watching, so go home. Don't make Thailand the polical clown of the world.

Democratic you state......well then why is the election committee unanimously asking the courts to disband the PPP for voter fraud, and bar the senior members from politics for 5 years......????

ehhhh

Some democracy...

Why does the PPP has such disregard for even the Supreme Court of Thailand....Seems like when they found Pochiman guilty and set a 3 year jail term....they government should not have given her a diplomatic passport to travel the world?

Because a senior member of their party broke the law, and the dissolution is the consequence for the action. Don't do the crime if you can't do the time.

Oh, on another note - Old Wanderer. Your random thought progressions might suggest that its time to stop wandering and check into the Shady Acres Retirement Community.

[alaina]

Just think - if this movement gains momentum in Bangkok, it will damage the economy. The shopping malls will be empty.......

As long as attendance is not mandatory at university and there is no roll call at the PAD, the malls will be packed. The lawn of the Government House does not have aircon.

On a separate note, sure the students have a right to skip class as well as the right to fail class. Failed classes can be taken almost ad infinitum, but those that make such an effort to fail repeatedly will eventually just be given a pass. And really, if students think that boycotting classes will save the country, they probably need more education.

[Gary A]

I don't have any idea who organized the school closings but they are closed in our area in Loei. My wife's 12 year old nephew showed up at our house and my wife asked him why he wasn't in school. He told her the school was closed but he didn't know why. She had to call around to find out why the schools were closed. What sense is there in closing the schools and saying it was the student's idea?