Man charged in attack on CU lecturer

A man has confessed to slashing a Chulalongkorn University lecturer with a paper cutter for refusing to approve a draft thesis submitted by a friend's sweetheart. "I felt angry for my friend. So I attacked [the lecturer] at my friend's request," Praphansak Promngarm said yesterday.

His friend, Sasitorn Tiyakhot, has denied any wrongdoing and said she will only speak in court.

According to Praphansak, Sasitorn's girlfriend has spent four years working on a master's degree in engineering from the prestigious university, and blamed her inability to graduate on Asst Prof Jirawat Chewaroungroaj, who would not approve her thesis.

Sasithorn and Praphansak, both 25, now face charges of pre-mediated physical assault. Praphansak allegedly attacked Jirawat, a deputy dean of the university's Faculty of Engineering, in his office last Monday. The 49-year-old lecturer sustained wounds to his back and an arm, requiring 20 stitches. Metropolitan Police Division 6 deputy commander Pol Colonel Utasin Ritrueangdej said police were able to track down Praphansak even though he wore a wig to disguise himself. "We have footage from security cameras, and witnesses," Utasin said. Jessada Jantararak