About 500 students from Rajamangala University of Technology Tawan-ok, Uthenthawai Campus rallied yesterday to oppose a court order for the decades-old school to be relocated from land owned by Chulalongkorn University.
They gathered at about 11.30am in front of the campus on Phayathai Road and demanded the rector of RMUTTO or the president of the university council meet them and accept a letter opposing the relocation order by 2pm. They threatened to completely block Phayathai Road until the university administrators showed up to take the letter and listen to their grievances. About 100 police officers were deployed at the campus to keep the peace.
The students rallied in the name of old and current students, the Parents and Teachers Association of Uthen Thawai, the Uthen Thawai Alumni Association and a group of student supporters.
The Uthen Thawai campus of RMUTTO was formerly called “Uthen Thawai Builders School”. It is located on a 20-rai tract of land under a 68-year lease contract with Chulalongkorn University.
The contract expired in 2003. In 1975, Chulalongkorn University started negotiating for the return of the land for its expansion projects. But the school, which later became RMUTTO’s Uthen Thawai campus, has continued to occupy the land.