Bangkok: Tech Students Protest Chula Plan To Move Their Campus

[webfact]

Tech students protest Chula plan to move their campus
The Nation


Students of Rajamangala University of Technology Tawan-ok

BANGKOK: -- Thousands of students and alumni of Rajamangala University of Technology Tawan-ok's Uthenthawai campus staged a march yesterday to protest against Chulalongkorn University's plan to evict Uthenthawai students.

The students and alumni gathered at the Uthenthawai campus in the morning and marched along Phya Thai Road to the Chulalongkorn Property Office to submit a letter of protest.

The demonstrators then marched in front of the Jamruee Square Building 2, where they staged a satirical play against Chulalongkorn University.

Chulalongkorn University has announced that it needs to use the Uthenthawai campus to expand facilities for its students, and has prepared a plot in Samut Prakan for the Uthenthawai students.

But Assoc Prof Suebpong Muangchu, vice rector of Uthenthawai, said yesterday that Chulalongkorn has more than 100 rai of land, and Uthenthawai wants to lease only 21 rai to continue to teach its students.

The demonstrators wore blue scarves with the words "Opposing the plan to evict Thailand's first construction technicians from Thung Phayathai. We have been here since 1932". Most of the demonstrators also wore T-shirts with the message: "Demanding the return of royally granted land of Uthenthawai".

During the gathering of students inside the campus, police set up a checkpoint at its gate to search them. Some were found to be carrying knives, which were seized by police.

Chulalongkorn Rector Prof Dr Pirom Kamolratanakul said the university had to remain open for public services yesterday, but added that the university was concerned about the welfare of its 40,000 students and 8,000 lecturers and staff.

Pirom said Chulalongkorn would be ready to hold talks with Uthenthawai and the Education Ministry. He said he believed it was appropriate that Uthenthawai should be relocated to be near industrial centres.


-- The Nation 2013-03-16

[Pimay1]

Some of the students carrying knives is definitely not a good sign.

[geriatrickid]

If the squatters can show that they have a legitimate right to take up space on the university's land, then a court may support their position.

If they cannot, and have instead attempted to transform a gesture of goodwill that was intended to be a temporary measure into a defacto occupation, then the word vamos comes to mind.

[Locationthailand]

Sign of the changing times. Thailand does not take reference from some historical name universities, where the presence is iconic and significant. But if the Uni needs to expand it is unlikely to find cost effective land in it's present environment.

Edited March 16, 2013 by Locationthailand

[JetsetBkk]

Some of the students carrying knives is definitely not a good sign.

Yes, very poor show. I suppose the ones without knives are going to rely on their mates with knives when the fighting starts.

[MaxLee]

"We are Chulalongkorn, we have a high status, so we can take everything that we want without restrictions..."

High status, high face, zero social behavior tolerance towards other people and ethnic groups...

Amazing Thai-China...

[rubl]

If the squatters can show that they have a legitimate right to take up space on the university's land, then a court may support their position.

If they cannot, and have instead attempted to transform a gesture of goodwill that was intended to be a temporary measure into a defacto occupation, then the word vamos comes to mind.

Squatters? You mean students surely?

If I understand correctly either the facilities for a specific study are planned to be moved to Samut Pracharn or the students living facilities. A move students in Bangkok would certainly consider as being send to Coventry. This apart from possible commuting problems if they still need to be at Chula as well.

[up-country_sinclair]

"We are Chulalongkorn, we have a high status, so we can take everything that we want without restrictions..."

High status, high face, zero social behavior tolerance towards other people and ethnic groups...

Amazing Thai-China...

My understanding is that Chula owns the land and therefore can do with it what they like.

If the squatters can show that they have a legitimate right to take up space on the university's land, then a court may support their position.

If they cannot, and have instead attempted to transform a gesture of goodwill that was intended to be a temporary measure into a defacto occupation, then the word vamos comes to mind.

Squatters? You mean students surely?

If I understand correctly either the facilities for a specific study are planned to be moved to Samut Pracharn or the students living facilities. A move students in Bangkok would certainly consider as being send to Coventry. This apart from possible commuting problems if they still need to be at Chula as well.

Again, my understanding is that the technical college's lease expired approximately 7 years ago.

It's also worth noting that the students from this particular technical college are infamous for being involved in the inter-school violence that has plagued Bangkok for years.

Edited March 16, 2013 by up-country_sinclair

[rubl]

If the squatters can show that they have a legitimate right to take up space on the university's land, then a court may support their position.

If they cannot, and have instead attempted to transform a gesture of goodwill that was intended to be a temporary measure into a defacto occupation, then the word vamos comes to mind.

Squatters? You mean students surely?

If I understand correctly either the facilities for a specific study are planned to be moved to Samut Pracharn or the students living facilities. A move students in Bangkok would certainly consider as being send to Coventry. This apart from possible commuting problems if they still need to be at Chula as well.

Again, my understanding is that the technical college's lease expired approximately 7 years ago.

It's also worth noting that the students from this particular technical college are infamous for being involved in the inter-school violence that has plagued Bangkok for years.

OK, I didn't know about the 'lease expired seven years ago'. Does this mean that the technical college is not part of Chula University?

BTW it may be worth noting that students of that college have a somewhat bad reputation, but moving them out of Bangkok doesn't really help in improving their behaviour. IMHO

[MiG16]

Chula owns plenty of land in the area, including the entire shopping block of Siam square.

A big building was added at the end of phayathai and Rama 4 road, next to the subway.

A big part of the entire property is rented/ leased out to commercial entities.

But yes, they do own the land Uthenthawai sits on, and can legally evict the tenant. As a supposedly not for profit organization, the question is - is it appropriate for chula to evict another educational institution who has been a long term tenant? or are there other commercial ventures that can be foregone......

[up-country_sinclair]

If the squatters can show that they have a legitimate right to take up space on the university's land, then a court may support their position.

If they cannot, and have instead attempted to transform a gesture of goodwill that was intended to be a temporary measure into a defacto occupation, then the word vamos comes to mind.

Squatters? You mean students surely?

If I understand correctly either the facilities for a specific study are planned to be moved to Samut Pracharn or the students living facilities. A move students in Bangkok would certainly consider as being send to Coventry. This apart from possible commuting problems if they still need to be at Chula as well.

Again, my understanding is that the technical college's lease expired approximately 7 years ago.

It's also worth noting that the students from this particular technical college are infamous for being involved in the inter-school violence that has plagued Bangkok for years.

OK, I didn't know about the 'lease expired seven years ago'. Does this mean that the technical college is not part of Chula University?

BTW it may be worth noting that students of that college have a somewhat bad reputation, but moving them out of Bangkok doesn't really help in improving their behaviour. IMHO

Some of the students at the Uthenthawai campus consider themselves to be 'at war' with the students from the nearby Pathumwan Institute of Technology. Over the last few years several people have been killed by this inter-school violence, including innocent bystanders. Moving Uthenthawai students to Samut Prakan may not change their behavior, but it will make the streets safer for residents of Bangkok.

[geriatrickid]

OK, I didn't know about the 'lease expired seven years ago'. Does this mean that the technical college is not part of Chula University?

BTW it may be worth noting that students of that college have a somewhat bad reputation, but moving them out of Bangkok doesn't really help in improving their behaviour. IMHO

Hence my use of the "rough" term squatters.

My understanding, and if I am wrong please correct me, is that the university has been trying to get the training facility to move out for some time. (Sound familiar?) The other aspect that is politely being left out of the discussion is the friction between some of the student groups. The Chula student body reflects the typical university crowd around the world, sometimes stupid, but not prone to fights and violence. Unfortunately, we all know the stigma of technical colleges in Thailand. It's like a step up from a reform school. Not a nice characterization to make, since the technical colleges fulfill an important role in the country and there are a great many decent hardworking kids that are enrolled. Unfortunately, technical colleges are also home to a significant number of antisocial types that cause grief for everyone else. The non polite explanation is that the nice neighborhood wants to remove the slum that is creeping up on it.