The Thai military summoned a lecturer of a university in Isan, Thailand’s Northeast, to question about his relationship with an anti-junta activist group in the region.
On 12 June, the military officers of the northeastern province of Maha Sarakham summoned Chainarong Sretthachau, the lecturer at Maha Sarakham University for a talk in order to ask about the lecturer’s affiliation with Dao Din group, an anti-junta student activist group based in Khon Kaen University.
Chainarong, however, informed the officers that he would like to postpone the meeting to 15 June.
At 9 am on Monday, Chainarong Sretthachau came to meet with military and police officers at the Maha Sarakham City Hall, Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) reported.
During a one hour talk, the authorities questioned whether Chainarong, has any connection with Ban Na Mun-Dun Sat group, an environmental protection group in the northeastern Kalasin Province and Dao Din group both of which held a political gathering in Khon Kaen Province on 8 June.
Chainarong explained to the officers that he supported the Ban Na Mun-Dun Sat group with information on subjects concerning the environmental impact assessment (EIA) about a controversial petroleum drilling in Kalasin and human rights only. He added that he has never contacted or collaborated with the Dao Din group before.
He pointed out that the Dao Din and Ban Na Mun-Dun Sat group have been helping each other. Therefore, when Dao Din group members were arrested, the other group came to show moral support.
At the end of the meeting, the authorities forced Chainarong to sign an agreement not to engage in any political movement.
Prior to his meeting with the military, Chainarong posted his standpoints on his personal Facebook account on 14 June.
He stated that his movement was motivated by issues, such as environmental problems, human rights, and inequality in resources and that he has been doing so in every administration since he was a student till now.
He also posted that he does not have any political inclination. He only stands with the local, who are voiceless and powerless in dealing with development project, resources, and inequality.