PHITSANULOK: The head of one of the 11 “microparties” supporting the regime-backed coalition has managed to offend two of his former schools in one week, resulting in alumni of one school placing a curse on him.
Disgruntled alumni of Phitsanulok Pitthayakhom School accused Mongkolkit Suksin-tharanon of damaging the school’s reputation during a media interview in which he said the school was plagued by illicit drugs and hooligans when he studied there.
They gathered on Saturday to burn dried chilies and salt during a traditional ritual to curse the leader of the Thai Civilized Party and demand an apology from him.
The protest came just days after Mr Mongkolkit made critical comments about the behaviour of his peers when he was a student at King Mongkut’s University of Technology North Bangkok. That was also greeted with howls of protest.
Before he ran for office, Mr Mongkolkit was best known as secretary-general of the National Anti-Corruption Network, a civic group monitoring state corruption. Its main focus was officials linked to the former Pheu Thai administration of Yingluck Shinawatra.
When the military junta led by Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha came under fire for its opaque procurement of a Chinese submarine, Mr Mongkolkit said he supported the purchase in the interest of national security.
The Thai Civilized Party received 60,421 votes nationwide in the March 24 election, enough to give it one list seat under the Election Commission’s calculation formula. The party is one of 11 single-seat entities that declared their support for the Palang Pracharath Party.
A group of Phitsanulok Pitthayakhom School alumni on Saturday converged on the King Nareusuan the Great shrine at Chan Royal Place in Phitsanulok, with some carrying placards denouncing Mr Monkolkit for his remarks.
Sanam Khongnate, a representative of the alumni, said the MP’s allegations about drugs and gangs were untrue and caused damage to the reputation and dignity of the school.
On Thursday, alumni and students from King Mongkut’s University of Technology North Bangkok had denounced Mr Mongkolkit for remarks he made about his former school.
During a live stream on his Facebook page, the embattled politician had made critical comments about student activities when he was studying there, said Manop Manasakulkit, chairman of the engineering students’ alumni. He organised a campaign to gather signatures to impeach Mr Mongkolkit as an MP.
So far, more than 8,000 signatures have been collected, Mr Manop said on Thursday. Although the campaign would have no legal effect, it reflected people’s feelings against the politician, said Mr Manop.
Mr Mongkolkit visited the university last Tuesday to aplogise to lecturers over his remarks. Police were deployed to prevent trouble.
At Friday’s opening session of the House of Representatives, meanwhile, Mr Mongkolkit’s earlier antipathy toward the Pheu Thai Party was not forgotten. When he went to shake hands with Pheu Thai MP Wan Ubamrung, a son of veteran politician Chalerm, Mr Wan turned away.
Alumni of Phitsanulok Pitthayakhom School burn chilies and salt to put a curse on MP Mongkolkit Suksin-tharanon for damaging their reputation. (Photo by Chinnawat Singha)
MP Mongkolkit Suksin-tharanon apologises to lecturers at King Mongkut's Univesity of Technology North Bangkok on May 21 after making critical comments about activities that took place during his student days there. (Bangkok Post file photo)