Thirty-two members from Thammasat University’s Faculty of Law came together to pressure the Thai government to investigate the abduction of Wanchalearm Satsaksit.
Wanchalearm was seized by armed men outside of his apartment in Phnom Penh, Cambodia around 6 p.m. on Thursday after posting a 53-second video criticizing Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha.
Since then, there have been various demonstrations by students and activists that demand both the Thai government and the Cambodian government to investigate the incident.
The faculty members said that the government has a responsibility to protect the basic rights of Thai citizens, even if they are living in exile abroad.
“The people, no matter what their status, still have their rights protected by the constitution. Even if that individual is wanted for a criminal case and escaping arrest, they still have rights as a Thai citizen,” said Dr Munin Pongsapan, Associate Professor and Dean of the Faculty of Law.
The state needs to protect the rights of its citizens because it is their duty and it will also demonstrate that Thailand upholds the basic values of a democratic system, Dr Munin added.
The whereabouts of Wanchalearm remains unknown.
