The student organisations of Thammasat University united forces to demand that the Thai authorities put off the university privatisation bill, saying that more public participation is needed.  

The student council and organisations from various faculties of Thammasat University on Wednesday afternoon issued a joint statement to urge the junta’s National Legislative Assembly (NLA) to postpone the final reading of the bill to privatise Thammasat university.

According to the initial plan, the bill will be reviewed by the NLA for the last time on 7 May.

Thammasat University students read out the statement against the junta’s privatisation plan on 29 April 2015    

The statement pointed out that the authorities did not give students and university staff an opportunity to participate in the process of drafting, proposing, and considering the bill.

Since the bill was not written and proposed with the consensus of all those at Thammasat University who would be affected by the bill, it should be halted until the bill is deliberated on and debated by all sectors of the Thammasat community.

The statement also urged that Articles 20 and 21 of the privatisation bill on the establishment of the university administrative committee and university council be amended.

At least two seats on the university council and administrative committee should be given to the president of the student council and the leader of Thammasat student organisations, according to the statement.

Moreover, the members of the university council and administrative committee should have only three years per term to allow new generations of Thammasat University the opportunity to run the institution.