The political mockery involving luxury watches and military figures was allegedly banned during the 72nd Chulalongkorn-Thammasat Traditional Football Match scheduled at the National Stadium in Bangkok on Saturday.
The National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), however, denied the claim in the afternoon, saying they were in the area to ensure safety and did not order any ban.
Latthaphol Yimlamai, a Thammasat University (TU) student who is president of the university’s political mockery group, said a high-ranking military officer had prohibited them from using Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon’s luxury watches as a theme in TU’s parade mocking politicians, a traditional highlight of the annual football event.
Effigies of military leaders were also prohibited, as was the mentioning of names of those figures and agencies. An inspection on all effigies would be conducted at 9am before the match, the third-year political science student said.
He said the group was informed of the taboo issues after executives of the TU Alumni Association had been summoned by military officers on Wednesday to discuss the parade’s themes.
The armed forces were concerned that some student activists could join the event and escalate conflicts.
Mr Latthaphol said six effigies would be presented during this year’s parade, which would be joined by more than 300 university students.
National economic and political issues would be reflected in the parade in keeping with the tradition.
The preparation of the parade at TU’s Rangsit campus in Pathum Thani has been monitored by military officers, he said.
Mr Latthaphol, however, brushed aside the concern over the military’s ban, saying the parade would be held according to the plan proposed to the association earlier.
He insisted the mockery did not violate human rights or unfairly judged some people.
Since this year’s political mockery parade has drawn more public attention than previous years, the group would not disappoint the public, he said.
He promised issues affecting the society would be presented during the parade. But whether the group can do that also depended on the discretion of the military, he added.
Maj Gen Suwit Gatesri, commander of the 2nd Cavalry Division King's Guard, denied the student's claim, saying his men were not in the area to check the effigies.
"They were there to maintain order and ensure safety, along with police and administrative officials," he said.
Maj Gen Pyapong Klinphan, an NCPO spokesman, confirmed the NCPO did not ban anything. "We simply put up some bomb scanners at the entrances."
"We know Thammasat will hold a political parade while Chula's will focus on social issues. It's the responsibility of the organisers to check whether they are appropriate," he said.