Graduates condemn Nitirat activities on campus

Thammasat University Class 01 law graduates yesterday issued a statement calling for Nitirat academics to suspend their teaching duties and stop using the university premises to spearhead charter amendments related to the monarchy.

The graduates include several legal professionals and leading figures like former prime minister Chuan Leekpai.

"Class 01 graduates deem it inappropriate to use the university's premises to stage offensive activities against the monarchy," the statement said.

It also lashed out at the academics for setting a bad example for their students.

The academics should be targeted for disciplinary proceedings on alleged subversive activities against the democratic rule with HM the King as head of state, it said.

Chuan said his Democrat Party had a firm stand opposing any attempts to rewrite Article 8 of the Constitution and to amend Article 112 of the Criminal Code.

Although the Nitirat group was entitled to air legal opinions, it would unlikely muster sufficient support to change the role of the monarchy and the lese majeste law, he said.

More than nine in 10 people voiced concern about what they saw as instigation against the monarchy, an Abac Poll said in a national survey released yesterday.

About two in three people were worried about the persisting political turmoil.

The survey was conducted on 2,572 respondents from 17 selected provinces across the country having a seven per cent margin of error.

Almost nine in 10 people said cronyism was still plaguing the civil service. About three in five respondents said they would tolerate a corrupt government if benefits trickled down to them. Almost two in three civil servants shared the same view and about half university students condoned corruption too.

Democrat Party spokesman Chavanont Intarakomalyasut said his main opposition party had not tried to frame the Pheu Thai Party in regard to a controversial move to amend the law on royal insults.

A number of Pheu Thai officials, including Worawuth Wichaidit, had repeatedly said they wanted to change the lese majeste law, Chavanont said, pointing out that the main coalition party made an about-face after the Nitirat group drew flak on its push on Article 112.

In rebutting Chavanont's remarks, Pheu Thai spokesman Prompong Nopparit said his party leaders, including Yingluck Shinawatra, Yongyuth Wichaidit and Chalerm Yoobamrung, had made it clear the party had no plans to amend Article 112.

Prompong claimed he had detected a conspiracy among politicians, academics, media professionals and rogue soldiers to smear the government with the aim of toppling it.

He said the main coalition party remained steadfast in upholding the monarchy and would block any attempts to change the lese majeste law.