The Nitirat scholars have made no secret of their opposition to the lese majeste law, but their latest proposal regarding the highest institution has overstepped the line and provoked uproar among the military and within pro-monarchy academia.
The Nitirat scholars have made no secret of their opposition to the lese majeste law, but their latest proposal regarding the highest institution has overstepped the line and provoked uproar among the military and within pro-monarchy academia.
The Nitirat group, which is headed by Dr Vorajate Pakeerat, proposed that HM the King be required to take an oath before the parliament to protect the constitution.
Among the most vociferous critics is Dr Bovorksak Uwanno of King Prachadhipok Institute, who targeted Dr Vorajate.
He said that as a recipient of a King Anand scholarship, Dr Vorajate should have taken an oath himself, that he would not be ungrateful to the King who bestowed the scholarship on him.
The scholarship made it possible for Vorajate to finish his PhD in law in Germany, Dr Bovorksak pointed out.
Even before that, another member of the Nitirat group suggested that His Majesty the King should not be allowed to address the public.
The Nitirat group organises a press conference on Sept 26, 2011 to defend its call to undo the "consequences" of the Sept 19 coup. (Photo by Apichit Jinakul)
The Nitirat group is in favour of amending or totally scrapping the lese majeste law, or Secton 112 of the Criminal Code, claiming that it is undemocratic, obsolete and goes against free expression.
It has also recently proposed a complete rewrite of the constitution to bring both the judiciary and the military establishment under the authority of the political body.
Under the proposal, the cabinet would be empowered to shuffle top-ranking military officers, instead of the defence council as is the case now. But this proposal pales when compared to another proposal calling for the appointment of political officials by the parliament to oversee career military officers.
This reminds me of the Soviet Union under Stalin, who kept iron-fisted control of the Red Army through the Communist party’s political commissars who spied on army officers and reported back to the party.
Regarding the judiciary, the Nitirat group proposed that Supreme Court judges should be appointed by the cabinet and approved by the parliament.
It came as little surprise that Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung branded the Nitirat group's outlandish proposals as nonsense, sayiong they would never be accepted by the public. He would never accept their proposal to amend or scrap the lese majeste law.
Obviously annoyed by the group’s persistent calls for a change of the lese majeste law, and its latest outrageous proposal regarding the monarchy, Royal Thai Army Commander-in-Chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha forcefully suggested the group should rethink their position.
He asked just what they had ever done for the country. HM the King has done a lot to benefit the country and the Thai people almost his entire life, he reminded them.
The Nitirat group has overstepped the boundary with its latest proposal – that HM the King must take an oath before the parliament or, in the other words, before our politicians - people that many of us, I believe, find it quite awakward to wai let alone take an oath before them.
How can the Nitirat group, this group of Thammasat law lecturers, come up with such an outrageous, insulting and stupid suggestion? Undoubtedly, they have gone too far, they have gone beyond the acceptable.
It would be just fine if they would just stick to calling for the amending of Section 112, there will be no public uproar.
But Dr Vorajate and his associates should better think twice before they come up with yet another new proposal.