And if we can move to the next item on the agenda?  Which is, er, …
 
The research study by Acharn Ekaphap.
 
Ah yes, and this is for his promotion to Assistant Professor, am I right?
 
Yes, sir.  If you recall my proposal submitted last year, …
 
A point of order, Mr Chairman, I believe that this agenda item is inappropriate and must be withdrawn.
 
Withdrawn, Acharn Rabiab?  Whatever for?
 
You will find that the report is incomplete and illegitimate and therefore should be not discussed.
 
Well, I take your point, but isn’t the purpose of this meeting to look at exactly those questions?  If we don’t discuss the report, then how can we know …
 
I am sorry, Dean, but discussing this report would be against national policy.  
 
National policy?
 
Reconciliation and unity, Dean.  Surely you have heard of this?
 
Yes of course, but I fail to see how a discussion of an academic paper …
 
But this so-called academic paper will cause disunity and divisiveness in the country and directly contradict the wishes so graciously expressed by the Highest Institution.
 
Acharn Rabiab, I appreciate your concerns for national unity and so on, I’m sure we all do, but I don’t quite see how this prevents us from hearing the results of Acharn Ekaphap’s research on, er, what is it?
 
Methods to Improve the Quality of Examination Questions in the Department of English, sir.
 
Well, that sounds harmless enough.  It’s not going to blow up in our faces (general laughter) so I think we can proceed …
 
I’m warning you, Dean, you may not realize it but this will turn nasty.
 
Is that some kind of threat, Acharn Rabiab?
 
Of course not, Dean, but when one’s honour is besmirched, there is a limit to one’s patience.
 
OK, we will proceed with discussion of Acharn Ekaphap’s research, but if I start to see any disunity, then we can stop the discussion.  Will that satisfy you, Acharn Rabiab?
 
(Silence)
 
Acharn Rabiab?
 
I don’t know why you’re looking at me.  Personally, I am prepared to accept that Acharn Ekaphap may have acted out of a sincere, if naïve, concern for educational standards.  But there are other people in this university who are not so open-minded and some of them have spontaneously gathered outside the building …
 
(The Dean looks out of the window.)
 
Goodness gracious, they’ve got an effigy and they’re burning it!  What is this, Acharn Rabiab?
 
This is what you must expect if you insist on discussing issues that will only lead to conflict.  
 
Acharn Ekaphap, can you explain this?
 
Well, sir, since it is me that they’re burning in effigy …
 
Why, what have you said?
 
Well, sir, my research analyzes test questions used in the English Department.
 
Yes?
 
And certain problems were revealed.  Many students who gave correct answers were marked wrong and at the same time many who answered incorrectly were marked correct.
 
Oh dear.  So what went wrong with the marking?
 
It’s not the marking, sir.  The problem was that the English that the students were taught was itself incorrect.  The students were expected to answer according to what they had been taught, which was wrong, not according to actual English usage. A native speaker would have failed the tests.  
 
Oh I see.  So students were disobeying their teachers by giving grammatically correct answers?
 
Yes, sir, and the result was that the tests became invalid and unreliable.  So in my research I propose improved teaching and testing methods …
 
Yes, yes.  I’m sure you did.  I’m beginning to see your point, Acharn Rabiab.
 
I knew you would.  The students we organized outside are good students, sir.  They dress properly, have no interest in politics and listen to what they’re told.  But according to Ekaphap here, they deserve to fail their exams.  
 
No, that’s not what I say.  They deserve a proper education …
 
I think that’s enough, Acharn Ekaphap.  We are not going to get anywhere criticizing each other or giving students the idea that they have some sort of grievance.
 
But Dean, if we continue using the same kind of exam, our academic reputation …
 
And what do you think is happening to our reputation out there?  Is the press there?
 
Well they should be, I telephoned them this morning.
 
Good heavens.  And I promised the Rector only yesterday that we had nothing to do with this Nitirat or any of that.  Acharn Ekaphap, how could you?
 
Me, sir?
 
Yes, you.  Surely you should know by now that the last thing we want is a student protest.  You are directly responsible for causing this mayhem with your ill-considered and reckless efforts to cause dissent and disunity.
 
But sir, the quality of education …
 
This is a Thai educational institution, Acharn Ekaphap.  Educational quality is a complicated matter that has been entrusted to that Office of, er, Quality, what is it called?  It’s nothing to do with us.  Our job is to produce well-behaved, respectful graduates who will accept what they are told without question.  How else can society function?  We can’t have people challenging authority like this.  The country will descend into chaos, we’ll be taken over by foreigners and our cherished institutions will all collapse.  And all because of people like you.  The meeting is adjourned.
 
But sir, my research … my promotion …
 
Postponed indefinitely until you learn how to promote reconciliation and unity.