<p>Thai military officers have visited academics the 14 embattled anti-junta activists to ask about their political stance. &nbsp;</p> <p>Bencharat Sae Chua, a lecturer of the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ihrp.mahidol.ac.th/index.php/en/our-institute/about-ihrp">Institute of Human Rights and Peace Studies of Mahidol University (IHRP)</a>, told Prachatai Thai that on Wednesday, 8 July 2015, five military officers came to the university to ask her and other lecturers about their political stance and whether they support the 14 anti-junta activists, who have been temporarily released.</p>

<p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-443b76d9-2ac8-d58f-a768-81bf3228206c">Somsak Jeamteerasakul, an embattled lèse majesté critic and ex-Thammasat history lecturer in self-imposed exile has submitted an appeal to the Thai authorities regarding the decision by Thammasat University to sack him.&nbsp;</span></p>

<div>As concerned international observers of Thailand, we stand in solidarity with our colleagues who have condemned the summary dismissal of Dr. Somsak Jeamteerasakul by Thammasat University on 23 February 2015. We have watched with growing concern as the space for freedom of expression has shrunk precipitously in Thailand since the 22 May 2014 coup by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO). By choosing to join with the NCPO to attack Dr. </div>

<p dir="ltr">As academic freedom is under threat since the military coup d'etat took place on 22 May, over 200 academics and university students on Wednesday urged the president of the Council of University Presidents of Thailand to review its role in upholding the principles of universities as the sources of wisdom and uphold the freedom of expression, especially in the universities.&nbsp;</p> <p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p> <p dir="ltr">-------------</p>

<div> <div>More than 100 academics, activists, and others on Thursday announced in a joint statement, “Down with martial law… power belongs to all the people.”&nbsp;</div> </div>

<div>&nbsp;</div> <div>The cancellation and breaking up of talks believed to be critical of coup-makers in recent days have sent shock waves beyond the academic community here in Thailand.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>This was yet another signal from the ruling National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) that it will not tolerate any form of dissent - not even inside university walls.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>Perhaps this offers an insight into the junta's deep-rooted insecurity four months after the May 22 coup.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>A few weeks after taking over, the junta began ce </div>

<div>&nbsp;</div> <div>The Asian Human Rights Commission wishes to express grave concern about the arrest, interrogation, and harassment of four academics and three students during a public lecture on 17 September 2014 at Thammasat University in Bangkok. This is the latest in a series of actions by the authorities in the four months since the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) overturned the civilian government in a coup on 22 May 2014. </div>

<div>21 September 2014</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>On Thursday 18 September 2014, military and police officers went into Thammasat University's Rangsit campus to force academics and students to stop running a panel discussion, titled "Democracy Class, Lesson 2: The Downfalls of Dictatorships Abroad". Three students were arrested along with the speakers and the moderator, including Professor Dr. Nithi Eowsriwong, Dr. Chaowarit Chaosaengrat, Dr. Janjira Sombatpoonsiri, and Dr. Prajak Kongkirati. </div>

<div>&nbsp;</div> <div> <div>Thai military on Friday 'asked for cooperation' from Thammasat University, Bangkok, to stop an academic seminar on the interim charter, held by student activists; however, the university and the event organizers defied the military.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>A letter, signed by Col Noppadon Tawrit, Commander of the Kings Guard’s 1st Field Artillery Regiment, to the university rector, states “the seminar may affect the attempts to solve national conflict”, so the university should stop the event in order “to prevent the resurgence of differences in political at </div></div>

<p>Following the recent military coup in Thailand, free speech, free assembly and academic freedom have been massively constrained. Now, the junta is even trying to extend these restrictions overseas.</p>

<div>Asia Books, Thailand’s largest English language bookstore, on Thursday withdrew from their bookshelves two academic titles on Thai history, citing “political sensitivity.” The books concern the history of the 1932 revolution and the controversial relationship between King Rama VI and his palace servants.&nbsp;</div> <p></p>