Opposition MP Defends Lecturer Who Opposed Naresuan University-Army Partnership
People’s Party Pathum Thani MP Chetawan Thuaprakhon has defended Naresuan University lecturer Katsuyuki Takahashi’s right to oppose an academic partnership between the university’s Faculty of Social Sciences and the Third Army Region.
Chetawan criticised faculty administrators for summoning Takahashi to explain his opposition, saying academics should be free to disagree with university policy without fear of pressure. He said universities should protect dissent and academic freedom.
Former Naresuan University academic Paul Chambers also backed Takahashi, describing the summons as intimidation. Chambers questioned why the university was prioritising educational opportunities for the military over marginalised local communities.
The partnership, discussed on August 21, would develop courses tailored to the duties and needs of military personnel. The Third Army Region filed the lese-majeste and Computer Crime Act complaint that led to Chambers’ arrest in 2025, although prosecutors later decided not to indict him.
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