Thailand seeks to end student violence through campus relocation

Yotsanan Wongsawat, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, is seeking urgent measures to end long-standing violent clashes between students of Pathumwan Institute of Technology and the Uthenthawai Campus of Rajamangala University of Technology Eastern.

The recent violence, which included an incident at a BTS Skytrain station resulting in injuries, has caused public fear and impacted tourism. Previous attempts to mitigate conflict included staggered class schedules and sending Pathumwan students to off-site internships. However, recent clashes indicate these measures have been insufficient.

A high-level meeting is scheduled for September 9 at the Ministry of Higher Education to discuss legal solutions and potential campus relocation. The meeting will involve the Ministry's permanent secretary, the President of Chulalongkorn University (the landowner), the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, and leaders from both educational institutions. One proposal involves relocating the Uthenthawai campus to a new site managed by the Treasury Department to transform the disputed area into an economic hub.