Two lecturers and a former student of Chiang Mai University have been acquitted of charges relating to an incident in October 2021, when students took over the University Art Centre after the Faculty of Fine Arts and the university administration prohibited them from showing their final theses.

Thai Lawyers for Human Rights reported that the Chiang Mai Provincial Court on Tuesday (22 April) dismissed charges against Faculty of Fine Arts lecturers Sorayut Aiemueayut and Thasnai Sethaseree, and Faculty of Fine Arts graduate Yotsunthorn Ruttapradid, who were charged with trespassing and destruction of property.

The Court concluded that the defendants had reasonable grounds to take such action due to the Art Centre committee’s delay in reviewing the request to use the space. The Court accordingly ruled to dismiss the case.

In 2021, students from the Media Arts and Design Department, along with lecturers, occupied the Chiang Mai University Art Centre after 4th year students were prohibited from exhibiting their final theses in the Art Centre because some pieces addressed social and political themes.

After the students filed a request to use the University Art Centre to organise a thesis exhibition, the university administration repeatedly asked them for additional information and documents. Students were also required to submit information about every piece that was to be exhibited, and were told that some pieces would not be allowed, as the Faculty felt that they were politically inappropriate and unfit for public exhibition.

Several days before the exhibition, students found that electricity and water at the Media Arts and Design department building had been cut, allegedly on orders from the Faculty Dean. All exits from the building grounds were also locked with chains. The next day, students and lecturers cut the chains and occupied the University Art Centre to set up their exhibition.

After the exhibition, students filed a petition with the Chiang Mai University Council, the House Committee on Legal Affairs, Justice, and Human Rights, and the House Committee on Education to have Asawinee Wanjing, then Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts, and then-university President Dr Niwet Nantajit removed from office for attempting to prohibit students from exhibiting their theses and violating their academic freedom.

In November 2022, Asawinee filed a complaint against Sarayut, Thasnai, and Yotsunthorn on behalf of the university administration, who issued a letter granting Asawinee the power of attorney to do so.

In March 2021, Asawinee, along with several other faculty personnel attempted to remove students’ art projects from the Media Arts and Design Department building without first informing the students, claiming that some items constituted a possible violation of the law. The move prompted protests from students and lecturers. Students whose projects were going to be removed also filed charges of theft and destruction of property against Asawinee and the faculty personnel involved, as their projects were damaged during the incident and some went missing.