BANGKOK — Thammasat University students in Bangkok used an annual pre-football match parade to ridicule and criticize Thailand's military junta despite security officers' attempts to block the event.

Per tradition, Thammasat University students kick off their annual football match against Chulalongkorn University with a parade featuring commentary on contemporary politics.

Military officers initially "requested" the school cancel this year's parade in compliance with martial law and the junta’s ban on all political activities. However, students and school administrators said the parade and card stunts would go ahead as planned.

A card stunt at the 2015 Thammasat-Chulalongkorn football match that reads: "[We] want democracy. When will you give it back to us?"

In an effort to censor the parade's political elements, military and police officers showed up at the National Stadium yesterday and attempted to prevent any political floats from entering the stadium. 

Student organizers promised the security officers that the floats only focused on "social and foreign issues," such as the Thai economy and ISIS, a jihadist group that controls territory in parts of Syria and Iraq. The soldiers and police eventually conceded, and allowed the students to enter. However, many of the floats turned out to be elaborately disguised.

A float that initially appeared to praise Gen. Prayuth’s “Twelve Values” was later replaced with one bearing the word "Democracy" splattered in blood. [Photo: Prachatai]

For instance, a float that initially featured an ISIS militant was later revealed to be a mockery of junta chairman and Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha. Similarly, a banner that appeared to praise Gen. Prayuth’s “Twelve Values” was later replaced with one bearing the word "Democracy" splattered in blood.

When the "real" parade became apparent, several plain-clothed security officers forcefully seized political banners from students marching in the parade. (Watch a video here).

Other targest of criticism included Thailand's justice system, which was described as "corrupt" on one banner, the monopoly of Thai transport system, and the weekly TV program hosted by Gen. Prayuth, which was shown with a scene from Teletubbies in the background. 

A float originally disguised as an ISIS militant was later revealed to be junta chairman Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha. 

One float, titled "Thailand Farm," compared the political situation in Thailand to George Orwell's Animal Farm, a novel about a group of animals who overthrow their masters on a farm and later impose a dictatorship of their own.

The parade also included a reference to the popular TV series "Game of Thrones." 

Meanwhile, the card stunts, executed by hundreds of students, lampooned Thai taxi drivers for refusing to take passengers, criticized misbehaving monks who taint the Buddhist religion, and urged a person named "Pra…Yu…" to have some manners – a possible reference to Gen. Prayuth who is known for his hostile exchanges with the press.

The final card stunt spelled out: "[We] want democracy. When will you give it back to us?"

Student activists also hung two banners (above) that read "Down with Dictatorship!" and "Long Live Democracy!" on the upper level of the stadium. The activist group Chulalongkorn Community for the People later claimed responsibility for the banners.

Vajiravit Kongkhalai, the Thammasat political science student in charge of planning the parade, told Prachatai that the event originally planned to feature many more banners, but some were seized by security officers. 

The tone of this year's parade and card stunts caught many by surprise, as previous years have reflected a more pro-establishment political stance.

The Thai military junta has not publicly commented on the incident. 

In the football game that followed the parade, Thammasat University beat Chulalongkorn by 2-0. 

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BANGKOK — A former Pheu Thai Party MP has been held in an army camp and denied communication with the outside world for three days, a military officer confirmed.

The news emerged today after close aides to Ruangkrai Leekijwattana told the press that the politician had not been seen or heard from since he was detained by soldiers on 3 February.

A senior military officer confirmed that Ruengkrai is being held at 11th Army District headquarters in Bangkok for "attitude adjustment." According to the officer, who requested not to be named, Ruengkrai was summoned by the military for a letter he sent to Patrick Murphy, the Charge d'Affaires at the United States Embassy in Bangkok.

The letter reportedly described the junta-appointed parliament’s decision to impeach former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra last month as politically-motivated. The letter also criticized Thailand’s post-coup military government, the officer said.

"We are considering whether we will take any legal action," the military officer said. 

Thailand’s military junta, which seized power from a Pheu Thai-led government on 22 May 2014, has summoned at least six Pheu Thai politicians for criticizing Yingluck’s impeachment over the past few weeks. However, Ruangkrai is the first politician to be held for more than a few hours.

Yingluck was impeached and banned from politics for five years for allegedly failing to stop corruption in her administration’s rice-pledging scheme. Her supporters have called the ruling an effort to weaken the Pheu Thai party's prospects of a winning the next national election, scheduled for 2016 at the earliest.

More than 300 politicians, activists, and academics perceived to be sympathetic to the former government were publicly summoned and detained in military camps for up to seven days in the weeks following the coup.  The wave of summons orders wound down in July.

BANGKOK — Organizers of Thammasat University's annual football parade have snubbed the Thai army's request to cancel the parade because of its political nature.

Per tradition, Thammasat University students kick off their annual football match against Chulalongkorn University with a parade featuring commentary on contemporary politics.

Activists unfurl a banner calling for the release of Somyot Prueksakasemsuk, a magazine editor jailed for allegedly insulting the Thai monarchy, during the Chulalongkorn – Thammasat annual football match on 2 Feb 2013. 

According to a report on Isra News, the Second Cavalry Division “requested” that Thammasat cancel this year’s parade, scheduled for 7 February.

Weerachai Pongkaew, a spokesperson of the unit, told Isra that the order was sent in accordance with the junta’s policy to ask all sides for “cooperation” in keeping politics out of the public eye.

"We have dispatched senior [officers] to talk with the organizers," Col. Weerachai told Isra. 

Since staging the coup against the elected government on 22 May 2014, the military junta has outlawed public protests and political activities of any kind. The junta has canceled a number of academic seminars on political issues, including a forum on press freedom last month.

A parade float from the 2012 Chulalongkorn – Thammasat annual football match that took a jab at then-Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who Thai press call the 'Red Crab.' 

Prinya Thaewanarumitkul, the deputy dean of Thammasat, told Matichon that he received the military's "request for cooperation," but said the university administration has decided to go ahead with parade as planned.

"The mocking of politics is an activity we hold every year. It is an opportunity for the students to express their opinion," said Prinya. "So we have agreed to let the activity go ahead. However, as for concerns expressed by certain groups, we will consider the details of each activity based on what is appropriate."

Kanathip Kaikaew, the Thammasat student who is organizing card stunts for the event, said he has not personally received any orders from the military, but insisted that the parade and card stunts are friendly activities.

"It adds color to the event and promotes friendship between the two universities," Kanathip said in an interview with Matichon, "The card stunt will proceed as normal. There won't be any self-censorship."

The student in charge of organizing the parade also confirmed to Matichon that the march will proceed as planned.

A parade float that accused the US of "robbing" the Asia-Pacific region with its perceived unfair trade treaties, 2 Feb 2013. 

Maj.Gen. Sansern Kaewkamnerd, a spokesperson of the Thai military government, said he is not aware of the military's request to cancel tomorrow's football parade, but added that the event's organizers should be aware of how their actions may be perceived.

"The activity can be seen in many ways. It is about rights, freedom, and tradition. There's nothing [wrong] with that," Maj.Gen. Sansern said. "However, all contexts have to be considered. The organizers may not think that their activities will damage the country, but some other groups may use them in political ways."

Thammsat University has been regarded as a bastion for progressive movements throughout much of Thailand's political history. However, the university's administration has come under fire in recent years for its perceived collaboration with Thailand’s conservative factions. The current rector, Somkit Lertpaithoon, was recently targeted by Thammasat student activists for his support of the 22 May coup that toppled the elected government, and for joining the junta’s interim parliament. 

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