The Conference organizer and Associate Professor, Dr. Chayan Vaddhanaphuti; three students: Chaipong Samnieng, Ph.D. Candidate and Lecturer; Teeramon Buangam, MA Candidate and Faculty; Nontawat Machai, undergraduate student, all from Chiang Mai University; and Pakavadi Veerapaspong, independent writer and translator were arrested and will go to court for participating in a political gathering exceeding 5 individuals (violation of an order issued by the National Council for Peace and Order). The Conference has been held for 13 years but in several different countries. This year it was held in Thailand but, different than usual, there was a large police and military presence, which surprised the attendees. Three of the students held up a flag that said “An Academic Seminar Is Not a Military Base.” CCS has written the Prime Minister of Thailand asking him to review the case and dismiss the charges, as citizens have the right to free speech, assembly and association. If there are criminal charges they should be brought forth and assure that a trial will be held consistent with international law and due process.
General Prayut Chan-ocha
Prime Minister of Thailand
Government House
Pitsanulok Road, Dusit
Bangkok 10300, Thailand
Your Excellency:
The Committee of Concerned Scientists is an independent organization of scientists, physicians, engineers and scholars devoted to the protection and advancement of human rights and scientific freedom for colleagues all over the world.
We write to express our concern for Chayan Vaddhanaphuti, Associate Professor and Director, Regional Center for Sustainable Development, Chiang Mai University and Organizer of the 13th International Conference on Thai Studies; Chaipong Samnieng, Ph.D. Candidate and Lecturer, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Chiang Mai University; Teeramon Buangam, M.A. Candidate, Faculty of Mass Communication, Chiang Mai University, and Editor, Prachaham News; Nontawat Machai, undergraduate student, Faculty of Mass Communication, Chiang Mai University; and Pakavadi Veerapaspong, independent writer and translator; who were organizers and attendees of the Conference. The Conference is held annually, but in different countries. This year it was held in Thailand.
The organizers of the conference describe its mission as follows: “For many decades, the academic field of Thai studies has served as a platform offering many forms of challenging, conceptual and critical knowledge to scholars working in different academic disciplines, yet who share the same interest in unveiling the complexity of Thai society. The field has allowed many scholars whose works are related to Thai society to engage in debate, to learn and exchange from one another, and, on many occasions, to produce ground-breaking conceptual and theoretical understandings about Thailand. Moreover, the intellectual output produced through this kind of cross-disciplinary engagement often benefits the production of new knowledge in disciplinary based studies. As Thailand changes, Thai studies also strives and takes on new angles, subjects, and intellectual paradigms that are crucial to the development of the country.”
This year the conference took on a different tone than it had in the past. This year there were many uniformed and plainclothes military and police attending various sessions, taking notes and pictures of those in attendance. It created a very different atmosphere than the conferences in the past. It resulted in the three student’s who were eventually arrested making a banner that read “An academic seminar is not a military base.”
In August 2017 authorities summoned the scholars, students and the interpreter to the Chang Phuak Police Station in Chiang Mai and accused them of violating an order issued by the National Council for Peace and Order, No. 3/2558, which bans political gatherings of five or more persons. The accusation appears to relate to the attendees’ response to the new and heavy presence of police and military officers at the 2017 conference. The conference was never meant to be a political event. It was, and had always been, an educational event.
It is our understanding that the defendants are scheduled to appear in court tomorrow, Monday, August 20. If convicted they could be subject to up to six months of imprisonment, a fine of up to baht, or both.
CCS would welcome any information that would further explain these cases. Otherwise, we ask that this situation be reviewed since it appears that the defendants are being charged for exercising their rights to freedom of expression, freedom of association and academic freedom – rights that are expressly protected under international human rights agreements including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Thailand is a signatory.
We urge you to dismiss the charges against these individuals; and if you find that there are criminal charges separate from those noted above, that they be ensured due process for these cases in a manner consistent with Thailand’s obligations under international law.
We look forward to a response from you and request that you communicate to the appropriate authorities prior to their trial tomorrow.
Sincerely,
Joel L. Lebowitz, Paul H. Plotz, Walter Reich, Eugene M. Chudnovsky, Alexander Greer
Co-Chairs, Committee of Concerned Scientists
cc.:
The Honorable Don Pramudwinai
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Sri Ayudhya Road
Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Colonel Suebsakul Buarawong
Deputy Commander of the 33rd Military Circle
Kavila Camp, Wat Khet Sub-District
Muang District
Chiang Mai 50000, Thailand
The Honorable Khemchai Chutiwong
Attorney General
The Government Complex
Building B 120 Moo 3
Chaengwattana Road, Thoongsonghong, Laksi
Bangkok 10210, Thailand
The Honorable What Tingsamitr
Chairman of National Human Rights Commission
The Government Complex
Building B 120 Moo 3
Chaengwattana Road, Thoongsonghong, Laksi
Bangkok 10210, Thailand
The Honorable Mike Pompeo
United States Secretary of State
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20520 USA
The Honorable Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Palais des Nations
CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
The Honorable David Kaye
United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to Freedom of opinion and expression
Palais des Nations
CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
The Honorable Clement Nyaletsossi Voule
United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association
Palais des Nations
CH-1211 Beneva10, Switzerland