The three universities are Chulalongkorn, King Mongkut's Institute of Technology North Bangkok and Thaksin.

The NLA set up three ad-hoc panels to consider each bill, which they are expected to finish in seven days, before the bills are put before the 242-member assembly for approval.

Addressing the assembly, NLA member Borwornsak Uwanno said he believed autonomy for universities would deliver great benefits in the long term. Citing an example, he said the Thai bureaucracy had opposed turning Suranaree University of Technology into an autonomous institute during the government of the late Chatichai Choonhavan more than 15 years ago. However, the university was granted autonomy and there had been no complaints or protests from the staff or students since then, he said.

NLA member Gothom Arya said turning state universities into autonomous institutes would raise their quality and efficiency of learning and teaching.

If they remained state-controlled, they would be unlikely to push themselves forward, he added.

More than 200 students protested against the bills at Parliament House on Wednesday. They faulted the government decision to push ahead with the bills and urged the NLA to reject them. The protesters' concern was that youths from poor families would be unable to afford the expected increase in tuition fees after the universities become autonomous. They also accused university administrators of advocating the bills to get higher salaries and bonuses.

Weerayut Chokchaimadon

The Nation