The Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHSRI) is proposing a new deal to help the relocation of the Rajamangala University of Technology Tawan-ok (RMUTTO) Uthenthawai campus from Chulalongkorn University (CU) land.
Minister Supamas Isarabhakdi told the media yesterday that a committee consisting of representatives of RMUTTO and CU was set up to resolve the relocation matter.
The committee has proposed two solutions, including for CU to give the land to the public so it can be turned into a public park or a museum for children.
"If RMUTTO learns that CU will not use the land for a commercial purpose but develop it for public benefits, such as building a park, museum or art space like the Bangkok Art & Cultural Centre of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, [it may agree to the deal]," Ms Supamas said. "We hope RMUTTO will agree to the new proposal."
The RMUTTO campus occupies a 20-rai plot that was leased from CU in 1935 for 68 years. The lease expired in 2003.
CU has been negotiating for the return of the land since 1975 without success.
In 2002, the Treasury Department offered a 36-rai plot of land in Samut Prakan's Bang Phli district for the relocation of RMUTTO's campus, while the government also provided a 200-million-baht budget for its construction.
RMUTTO signed a contract with CU that it would move out from the site by Sept 30, 2005, and agreed to move to the land in Bang Phli in November of the same year. However, the relocation process was slow and opposed by students.
The Office of the Attorney-General set up a committee for dispute resolution in 2009. The committee ordered RMUTTO to return the land to CU as well as pay 1 million baht per year in compensation until relocation was complete.
The ruling prompted RMUTTO to appeal to the Supreme Administrative Court, which ruled in December last year that RMUTTO must move out of the CU campus within 60 days.
But students still opposed the relocation, and RMUTTO has not yet moved out.
Ms Supamas said the students just want a clear picture of what is going to happen to them.
"They just want to know their fate, the new place they are going to study in and who is going to take charge before their graduation," said Ms Supamas.
"We do not want to set a deadline for the negotiation as it will end up increasing tensions," she said.