Academics concerned over violent tactics

They also called on academics and the media to perform their duty more responsively in this time of political crisis.

Peace expert and Thammasat University's political scientist Chaiwat Satha-anand warned the public of subscribing to only pro-government or anti-government media.

"It's dangerous to only watch [PAD's mouthpiece] ASTV… [State-run] NBT television should also not interview people with a [pro-government] mentality while ASTV shouldn't interview people with an ASTV mentality," Chaiwat told the meeting at Chulalongkorn University.

By and large, said Chaiwat, the PAD's actions so far should still be regarded as non-violent. He urged PAD leaders to give themselves in to fight the court cases so the group could prove it was adhering to the principle of civil disobedient. As for the government, it should do all it could to protect citizens, including PAD protesters.

Chulalongkorn University political economist Nualnoi Tri-rat said the conflict would take time to resolve and patience was needed. She ured the media to present different points of view because failure to do so could lead to public disillusionment and social explosion. NBT's replays of the raid on NBT by PAD protesters were one example, she said.

 Chulalongkorn University sociologist Surichai Wangaew warned of the danger of allowing the two groups to decide what was right and wrong. He said civil society was larger than the PAD.

  Thammasat University political scientist Prajak Kongkirati was more sympathetic to the government, saying the current administration could not be compared to those under Indonedia's Suharto or Ferdinand E Marcos of the Philippines which ruled their countries with an iron fist for decades.

"At the moment, many academics claim to be impartial but their statements seem as if they are exploiting the PAD's actions to oust a government they disliked," he said.

Prajak also called on academics to perform their role as the conscience of society in providing a body of knowledge.

  Chiang Mai University dean of law Somchai Preechasilpakul pointed out a double standard by those academics who protested about last Friday's police crackdown but supported police action against the pro-Thaksin Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship (DAAD) last year.

Human rights activist and NGO leader Phairoj Pholphet said he respects the fighting spirit of ordinary PAD protestors, whom he classified as different from its leaders. However, he said the struggled from both sides are still under the shadow of Thai patronage culture.

  Chulalongkorn University historian Suthachai Yimprasert said Thai academics in general had been uncritical of the PAD, especially the movement's role in fanning ultra nationalist and ultra royalist. He believes the PAD is actually a modern-age right wing movement.

  Some academics were unable to attend the event but sent in their views.

  Thongchai Winichakul, a historian at University of Madison at Wisconsin wrote a note for the meeting criticising many Thai academic's view on the PAD which he regarded as flawed.

"If what the PAD have done for months and years, including creating the pretext for the coup in 2006, were not violence, please stop talking about any abstract, non-physical violence, such as structural violence, because that is a farce!" he said.

Thongchai said the PAD resembled the Fascist Party before World War II as it resorted to "propaganda, demagoguery, smear campaigns against the opponents, public indoctrination, fear mongering, militant nationalism, and so on."

   Thammasat University political scientist Kasian Tejapira also submitted a paper that questioned the PAD's ethics of the end justifying the means, referring to incidents such as the violent taking over of the NBT station.

  "I do not agree with such a stance. I think it risks uncontrollable force and could lead to uncalled- for harm of people not involved. It also sees humans as mere tool, victims and sacrifices for the group's goals and beliefs."