Thai student activist vows to fight her 'suspension'

[webfact]

Student Activist Vows To Fight Her 'Suspension'

Bu Khaosod Online



BANGKOK: -- Thammasat University is said to be considering a punishment against a transgender student activist who protested its Rector′s alleged conspiracy with anti-government protesters.

Ms. Aum Neko, whose real name is Mr. Saran Chuichai, had previously attempted to replace the Thai national flag with a black flag at a administrative building in Rangsit Campus of the university. She also accused Thammasat Rector Somkid Lertpaithoon of collaborating with anti-government protests, which she described as undemocratic movements.

Thammasat University has responded to the incident by setting up committee to consider whether Ms. Aum had violated the university′s code of conducts, and if found guilty, Ms. Aum can face a punishment as severe as one year suspension.

A number of Thammasat students is also collecting for a petition asking for expulsion of Ms. Aum, on the ground that she has "betrayed" the university.

Speaking to Khaosod, Ms. Aum said she does not feel threatened by the petition, as the students are simply exercising their rights, but added that university′s constitution does not permit expulsion for students in this manner.

The activist also dismissed allegation that she had insulted her educational institute by dressing inappropriately for the protest, explaining that Thammasat has no official guidelines on dresscodes.

She said she has not been contacted by any university official, as the university has not yet re-opened. Nevertheless, if the committee approved her suspension, Ms. Aum said, it would amount to Thammasat′s departure from its reputation as a bastion of democracy and liberal ideas.

"It would mean we have no basic rights. We just expressed our disagreement with the Rector," Ms. Aum told our correspondent.

Ms. Aum also vowed to scrutinise whether university regulations allow her suspension and appeal the punishment if she feels she is unjustly punished.

Source: http://www.khaosod.co.th/en/view_newsonline.php?newsid=TVRNNE5qVTRNemd5TWc9PQ==&subcatid=


-- Khaosod English 2013-12-11

[mca]

I wonder if they're going to investigate the code of conduct of the member of the university hierarchy who posted on his Facebook page that he wanted to stand on her face?

[Prbkk]

Some of these boffins need to understand just how irrelevant they are to finding solutions to Thailand's problems. A few constitutional law professors might have useful information to offer. The Thai system of electing university rectors needs to change to merit -based selection by a panel including independent external representation.

[NongKhaiKid]

I wonder if they're going to investigate the code of conduct of the member of the university hierarchy who posted on his Facebook page that he wanted to stand on her face?

Fair Point but would that mean setting up yet another committee ?

[angsta]

If you didn't realise what a joke the Thai education system was before then you do now. Top 3 Universities in Thailand? That shows what type of level you are dealing with.

After so many Thammasat students were murdered fighting for democracy this is a disgrace.

Take a bow Thailand. You thought they couldn't get any lower...

[Ricardo]

I wonder if they're going to investigate the code of conduct of the member of the university hierarchy who posted on his Facebook page that he wanted to stand on her face?

Fair Point but would that mean setting up yet another committee ?

With an appropriate budget for study-trips overseas, to see how these things are done, in other countries !

A few years' study should suffice ?

[wilcopops]

A good sign that the seeds of democracy are germinating is student activism. i hope the Uni hierarchy (and some of the students - I bet I know who their parents are!) are made to look the fools they are.

Edited December 11, 2013 by wilcopops

[NongKhaiKid]

I wonder if they're going to investigate the code of conduct of the member of the university hierarchy who posted on his Facebook page that he wanted to stand on her face?

Fair Point but would that mean setting up yet another committee ?

With an appropriate budget for study-trips overseas, to see how these things are done, in other countries !

A few years' study should suffice ?

And the wifes' can go ' chopping '.

[Maggusoil]

Anyway, what's wrong with her dress code what has that got to do with democracy, freedom of speech, freedom of thoughts, freedom to criticise?

So many people on TV complain about Thais not thinking outside the square and here's one doing a fine job of it and she/he gets

howled down.

TV. hub of hypocrisy . . . .

[JRSoul]

I wonder if they're going to investigate the code of conduct of the member of the university hierarchy who posted on his Facebook page that he wanted to stand on her face?

Are you sure that wasn't "sit"?

[TVGerry]

I saw the video. While it's up to you what you want to wear, you don't mess with your country's flag.

[catweazle]

Sure (s)he made her parents proud! Guess if "Aum" would have invested her free time in studying instead of activism, she wouldn't be in this mess. There are pople out there who simply can't help it but to stand in their own way...

Interesting side line development regarding this face sitting thing though

Edited December 11, 2013 by catweazle

[cacruden]

Where did it say she messed with the flag, she replaced it with a black flag apparently - but that would not have been a statement about the flag and country but about the leadership of the University.... the flag is too good for them. If it were against the flag she would have burned it like they do in countries like the USA.

[rotary]

I wonder if they're going to investigate the code of conduct of the member of the university hierarchy who posted on his Facebook page that he wanted to stand on her face?

Another reason to shut down "FarceBook". Nothing but trouble comes from it.

[catweazle]

Where did it say she messed with the flag, she replaced it with a black flag apparently - but that would not have been a statement about the flag and country but about the leadership of the University.... the flag is too good for them. If it were against the flag she would have burned it like they do in countries like the USA.

Even 99% of the foreigners here know that it is a bad idea to mess about in LOS with three things: His holiness Lord Buddha (such as pointing at a Buddha or monk with your feet, placing a Buddha statue on the ground, etc.), Royalty and the national flag. If I were to manage an university and one of my students would mess about with one of those three things, he/she would be kicked out and I would give a rat's #$$ whether he/she/it has a transgender agenda to hide behind, respectively is using that gender thing to pin conspiracy accusations on my appointed teachers.

Appearing politely dressed in public while fighting this (unneccessary) fight could also help...

[catweazle]

I wonder if they're going to investigate the code of conduct of the member of the university hierarchy who posted on his Facebook page that he wanted to stand on her face?

Another reason to shut down "FarceBook". Nothing but trouble comes from it.

Sad, but true!

[Spare]

Is he a she? Or is she a he?

What a disgrace to your uniform.

[cacruden]

It reminds me of the hypocrisy of arresting a katoey for dancing topless - yet legally they do not accept genders other than what you got when you were born.

If legally he is not accepted as a girl, why treat him like a girl under the law..... hmmm.

[DocN]

She was taking the Thai- flag down? Kill her!

Much worse than a Hitler- mural!

Edited December 11, 2013 by DocN

[Maggusoil]

i did watch this video, where this ladyboy tried to put a black flag.

The security guard did try to stop them, without succes. Then a thai cop showed up and with a soft voice he asked politely

if these yellow thugs who dare to remove the black flag

The activist also dismissed allegation that she had insulted her educational institute by dressing inappropriately for the protest, explaining that Thammasat has no official guidelines on dresscodes.

and yes she was dressed like a whore...

So? Master of fashion. What's wrong with that?

You would have been baying like a wounded bull in Bali 30 years ago. Women going topless. OMG

A girl participating in Carneval in Brazil or working at Nana should wear hot pants and a top, yes.

A girl fighting for her human rights in public should be dressed politely and non-offensive.

As simple is that.

God has spoken everyone. The Dr of should and should not. Get over it bra. It is not that important.

What is important are human rights. So far above this dress code you politically correct nannies

are carrying on with.

Do you come from Sweden by any chance? Or just see past

the utterly superficial.

Never mind. Its not going to happen.

Someone in a halter top and jeans shorts is according to one poster "dressed like a whore."

That comment is quite objectionable.

Girls in the street where I frequently live, wear those sorts of clothes everyday.

because its hot.

Even our reverend square, screaming radio jock nannies don't object to that.

Not satisfied that the article is about the violation of someone's political and educational rights, you guys can't get enough of that,

and jump on the bandwagon of her rights to wear what she wants.

Go to Australia and you can actually vote for the Nudist Party. That's right an actual, registered political party

whose platform is to be legally nude. Its a hot country. I don't see a problem with it.

This is hard to believe.

[earthpig]

"Ms. Aum Neko, whose real name is Mr. Saran Chuichai..."

That being the case, why pray tell does the press and some others insist on calling him by his fantasy name, and refer to him by his fantasy gender, thereby enabling his mental illness?

These gender confused individuals suffer from a serious mental disorder, recognized by most if not all reputable psychological associations, and tragically bear hugely elevated rates of depression, suicide, psychosis and neurosis compared to the population as a whole. K. Saran deserves our pity and assistance, and certainly not society's nodding enabling of his mental disorder and disquiet.

Above all else, I certainly hope that the real motivation behind the University's action against him is not K. Saran's illness. Nobody asks to be burdened with this catastrophic disorder. The university should try to help him, and not ostracize him.

That aside, I applaud K. Saran for having the courage of his political convictions (whatever the merits of those convictions), and wish him the best in sorting out the various issues which confront him. His courageous stance is wonderful testimony as to why people afflicted with his problem should not be discriminated against.

[cup-O-coffee]

Ah yes! The "Age of Rights".

Did he happen to mention that the University put a gun to his head and forced him to attend this university? No! I didn't think so.

Did he mention that he willfully applied and was accepted, on the basis that he agreed to the policies and statutes of this university, and he even signed on the dotted line? No! I didn't think so.

But after all... it is the "Age of Rights", yes? The rights which enable one to go back on one's word once one gains the trust and confidences of those around one.

I suppose terrorists and murderers have rights too, based on this man's lunatic views.

The world has become a disgusting place to exist.

[Doc46]

I wonder if they're going to investigate the code of conduct of the member of the university hierarchy who posted on his Facebook page that he wanted to stand on her face?

He probably wanted to say that he would like to,,sit,, on her face

[samjaidee]

I saw the video. While it's up to you what you want to wear, you don't mess with your country's flag.

Why not?

I'm British and believe that I have the right to do anything to the Union Flag that I choose to.

After all, it's only a flag.

[samjaidee]

Is he a she? Or is she a he?

What a disgrace to your uniform.

A disgrace to whose uniform?

[Dublin]

Well done Love, put your c#$k on the block for what you believe..... although the flag thing may have been a mistake ...

[TVGerry]

I saw the video. While it's up to you what you want to wear, you don't mess with your country's flag.

Why not?

I'm British and believe that I have the right to do anything to the Union Flag that I choose to.

After all, it's only a flag.

Yeah many people would disagree with you. The flag represents the country. People would die to protect their country's flag. For you to say it's 'only a flag' shows how uninformed you are. And while I don't know what laws there are regarding the desecration of the flag in the UK, I'm pretty sure it's illegal here.

[tragickingdom]

The rector's top law professors have complained already it won't work, after all Thamassat is invested with children from rich parents who are only allowed in because they wear yellow and pay a lot of tea money. It is easy to get 200,000 people on the streets it is much harder to win elections (and it is policies not bribes that lure voters) and it is even harder not to slaughter people in the streets. Something this rector, Suthep and Abhisit tend to forget or simply do not carve about if it is not the urban elite.

[JJttttt1]

who do you call this transvestite "her"? gender is not what one can choose by himself (herself) but an objective reality. This transvestite, "Neko" (pussy cat in Japanese, I guess) should definitely be expelled from the uni, he does not deserve an education.

When he was admitted to Thammasat he was granted a main right - to learn, and if he is not interested in that - just give a place to someone who does!

Deeds of the Rector is none of his business - "Neko" did not establish it, didn't contribute to it in any means - so why should he has a right to assess the rector's actions?

Didn't you take note, that all these leftist activists in Thammasat who get media attention, are katoeys? This has an easy explanation: "if world does not accept me, world should be changed" - this simple idea fuels radical youth all over the world.

Sad but true.

[cup-O-coffee]

I saw the video. While it's up to you what you want to wear, you don't mess with your country's flag.

Why not?

I'm British and believe that I have the right to do anything to the Union Flag that I choose to.

After all, it's only a flag.

Yeah many people would disagree with you. The flag represents the country. People would die to protect their country's flag. For you to say it's 'only a flag' shows how uninformed you are. And while I don't know what laws there are regarding the desecration of the flag in the UK, I'm pretty sure it's illegal here.

Agreed! The university is an institution that chooses to bear the national flag, which is also an institution unto itself. That in itself means we have two things going on here. Doing what he did not only broke his willful contractual commitment to the university, but it also broke his commitment to his land, his people, Buddhism itself, and his monarchy. That disgusts me as well as the manner of dress this disgusting person wears when desecrating his land, his people, Buddhism itself, and his monarchy. Incidentally, clear and misguided disrespect is a form of desecration.

The flag of the Kingdom of Thailand (Thai: ธงไตรรงค์, Thong Trairong, meaning "tricolour flag”) shows five horizontal stripes in the colours red, white, blue, white and red, with the central blue stripe being twice as wide as each of the other four. The design was adopted on 28 September 1917, according to the royal decree about the flag in that year issued by Rama VI.

The colours are said to stand for nation-religion-king, an unofficial motto of Thailand,[1] red for the land and people, white for Theravada Buddhism and blue for the monarchy, the last having been the auspicious colour of Rama VI.

---------------------

Symbolic speech such as flag desecration and religious worship offenses are banned in Thailand. Under the Thailand Penal Code 118, “whoever, making any act to the flag or any other emblem to be symbolized the State with the intention to deride the Nation” will be imprisoned for a maximum of two years and fined. Religious worship desecration is outlawed as well in Penal Code 206 “to the object or place of religious worship of any group of persons in the manner likely to insult such religion” will be put in jail for two to seven years and fined.

Living in a country that provides you rights (even were those rights to include freedom of speech) does not empower one to transgress to the point of committing acts which might dilute those freedoms to the point of creating chaos and lunacy. That is my opinion. Better translated: if you piss enough in the water you drink, you'll soon have piss. There is a time, place and method of proper behavior for everything in order to express your views, and this is definitely not it.

Edited December 11, 2013 by cup-O-coffee