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“I find students become more ac-
“ tive in class discussions especially

I want to be a state attorney to make when they make comments about
cases related to arrests made dur-
sure everyone has a fair trial in ing the social movement. They

court. I want to be a voice against the have also become more proactive
in holding activities related to hav-
unfair judgment ing political dialogues and public
policy discussions,” Pongsapan
“ says.

The professor believes the future
election, and an end to the harass- other student who wants to build a of Thailand is brighter because
ment of rights activists and state better legal system in the country his students are enthusiastic about
critics. by studying law. building a better legal system now-
adays.
They are also calling for curbs “The government used the law as a
on the king’s powers, a demand tool to suppress people and silence “These students have witnessed the
that led to unprecedented public different political views by crack- court’s failure in defending justice
discussion of an institution long ing down on protest and putting during the social movements. They
shielded from criticism by law. opposers in jail. This is not how want to make a change in Thai-
democracy works,” he says. land,” he adds.
After the social movement, the
number of students applying to Opasjirawiroj believes that in a *Name changed as requested by
study law has sky-rocketed. The democratic world, everyone has the interviewee.
total number undergraduate law the right to exercise freedom of ex-
programme applicants increased pression.
from 10,396 in 2019 to 29,366 in
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2021. “Diversity drives democracy. We Edited by Phoebe Chu
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share our views and debate to Sub-edited by Yap Ying Ye
In 2022, the number of applicants reach the best solution. Thai peo-
grew to 30,690 students, according ple still do not understand the con-
to the Council of University Presi- cept of democracy, which is a ma-
dent of Thailand (CUPT). jor reason why Thailand is trapped
in a loop of revolution. I want to
Nearly 10,000 students applied for be a law professor and educate the
the undergraduate law programme public about democracy,” he adds.
of Thammasat University in 2022,
compared to 1,910 in 2019. The A new and vivid page for Thailand
number of applications Chula-
longkorn University received also Munin Pongsapan, the dean of
increased from 778 in 2019 to the faculty of law at Thammasat
1,076 in 2022. University Munin Pongsapan has
observed that more students have
Hope to rebuild the fundamental applied to study law over the past
laws three years.
Law major Sith Opasjirawiroj is an-