On 9 December 2024, Arthur Wu, a member of the IFLRY Asia Program, traveled to Bangkok to meet and interview Netiwit (Frank) Chotiphatphaisal. He is an aspiring and rising Thai student political activist who aims to create a liberal democratic society and reform the authoritarian educational system in Thailand. He is also known for his political activism to end compulsory military conscription.
AW: Thank you for joining our interview today, Frank. Can you tell our readers more about yourself and how you get involved in politics?
PC: Hi, my name is Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal. You can call me Frank. I’m currently studying Political Science at Chulalongkorn University. As you know, I’m an active political activist who passionately campaigns for several issues in Thailand, including educational reforms, speaking against Thai junta governments, abolishing compulsory military conscription and freedom of press. I also run two small businesses; Delicious Democracy Noodle Shop and Samnak Nisit Sam Yan Press, to promote Liberalism and liberal democracy. I founded Delicious Democracy Noodle Shop to provide a safe place for political dissenters to express their opinions and exchange ideas freely. At the same time, Samnak Nisit Sam Yan Press has a different function to spread the ideas of Liberalism and democracy. I started my political journey when I was in secondary school. Under the current Thai educational system, students are oppressed by authoritarian teachers who don’t tolerate those who don’t follow the “norms.” For instance, teachers often abuse their powers to humiliate students who they think violate the haircut rules. Teachers forcefully cut their hair haphazardly in public to punish the “bad” students. I began to reflect on how this oppressive educational system has made people value obedience over individuality, which ultimately trained them to be blindly obedient to the military junta. Having witnessed this appalling abuse of power, I decided to campaign to end this humiliating and inappropriate punishment. Therefore, I became famous in Thai student politics as I was willing to denounce this inhumane practice and challenge the authority on TV. When the military started a coup to overthrow a civil government in 2014, I realized that we needed to change the educational system along with the authoritarian political system. So, I started campaigning against the junta government.
AW: Can you tell us more about your recent campaigns?
PC: Sure! I am working on two projects at the moment. One of them is preserving the Sam Yan neighborhood. You know I am against the gentrification of Chulalongkorn University’s neighborhood. My university is the biggest landlord in Thailand, and they own many properties across the country. Approximately 10,000 families are living in Sam Yan neighborhood, which my university owns. They want to increase the rent, so that they can’t afford to stay in the area. Therefore, my university can rent out the land to wealthy corporations at a higher rate. I strongly feel that we, Chulalongkorn University students who are a part of the Sam Yan community, are obligated to voice out for our neighbors.
So, I led several protests against my university’s decision to demolish the Chao Mae Tubtim Shrine near the campus to build new condominiums. Since the shrine is the last remaining Sam Yan neighborhood heritage, it has profound historical significance to the local community. The shrine is a historical landmark for the local Thai Chinese community, and generations of Thai Chinese people have been worshiping the gods there. This year marks the 150th anniversary of the shrine, but my university decided not to extend the lease and the historic shrine will be demolished so that the big condominiums will be built on the site.
Other than protesting on site, we have also tried different methods to stop the demolition, including petitions, getting MPs to address this issue in the parliament, and negotiating with my university representatives. I’m sure you know I have also made the documentary film The Last Breath of Sam Yan, which surprisingly won several awards. Winning the film awards means that more people will know about this issue so that we can get the public’s attention.
Another campaign that I am still working on is to end compulsory military conscription. This campaign I started 10 years ago. This policy is very unfair to people not from a wealthy background. On paper, every Thai male citizen is obliged to serve in the military upon reaching 21 years of age. However, people from middle or upper-class backgrounds can avoid military service by paying officials, while working-class people don’t enjoy this privilege. People who serve in the military suffer all sorts of inhumane treatment and abuse. As I considered the sources of societal problems, I saw the forced conscripted military service as one of them, violating the freedom and rights of my fellow countrymen.
You know I came from a middle-class family who can afford to pay to avoid military service, but I want to raise this unfair, unequal and injustice policy. Thus, I published a statement that I would not serve in the military. I know I might get arrested for refusing to serve in the military, but I think I should speak out on this issue.
AW: Thank you for sharing. Can you tell us how your organization engages with young people and encourages them to participate in politics?
PC: My organization, Sam Yan Publishing House, is not only about publishing books but also about encouraging young Thai citizens to pay attention to Thai politics and current affairs. Young people are curious and love discovering themselves and the world. It’s the conservative Thai society that stopped them from doing so. My organization provides a safe space for them to develop their opinions and ideas independently and freely. Apart from organizing issue-based campaigns, we also offer training for students to develop their own views. My role is to be their mentor to assist them in developing critical thinking. Our events have successfully gotten them to find their political beliefs. Some of them even pursue their journey in political activism.
AW: Do you plan to gain momentum for your campaigns outside of Thailand?
PC: I have been invited to speak about my ending compulsory military conscription campaign at different places worldwide. I want to use these speaker events to raise the international community’s awareness of this issue and help them understand the problems that Thai people face now. I believe this is a way for the world to learn about Thai politics and for me to learn from other countries. I study how we can improve our campaign strategies by networking with other political activists around the world.
AW: What can we do to support your campaigns?
PC: There are many ways you guys can support our campaigns. You can show solidarity with us on social media. Suppose you live in a democratic country and have a good political connection. In that case, you can introduce us to some political activists or politicians who are interested in our cause or to someone who can help us publish more books or make another documentary about Thai military conscription.
AW: Lastly, do you have any message to share with our readers?
PC: You, young people, are the future of the politics. Get action into now!
This article is a contribution from IFLRY Asia