Top university prof puts student in chokehold as he flees statue-worshipping tradition

Chulalongkorn, Thailand’s top university, is in hot water, after one of its professors was photographed putting a male student in a chokehold yesterday when he and his friends decided to walk out on a ceremony that was being held in the pouring rain.

The freshman initiation ceremony is held annually for incoming students to take an oath and prostrate themselves in front of a statue of King Rama V, the founder of the university.

Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal, president of Chulalongkorn University’s Student Council, who has campaigned against sitting on the ground and prostrating during the ceremony, led the group walkout, which resulted in one of his friends being put in a chokehold.

Netiwit wrote on Facebook that the deputy rector had promised him for let the freshmen bow to the statue instead of prostrating if it rained ― to keep them from getting wet ― but when it came down to it, the university just handed out plastic sheets to the students, while professors were allowed to bring their own umbrellas.

“There were not enough plastic sheets. Students had to sit in the pouring rain to prostrate while the lecturers could bring their own umbrellas. There were no umbrellas for the members of the Student Council. We were soaked, so I and some of my friends walked out,” Natiwit wrote on Facebook. The post has been shared over 13,000 times.

The ceremony drew over 6,500 participants.

https://www.facebook.com/posttodayphoto/posts/467622213622695

A statement from Chulalongkorn’s Deputy Rector Bancha Chalapirom said the university had provided space for students who didn’t wish to sit on the ground and prostate.

Bancha said that the lecturer who put a student in a chokehold was angered by the fact that Netiwit and his friends didn’t respect the rules.

“I have to apologize on behalf of the lecturer in question who may have overreacted. Chulalongkorn University tries to open a space for everyone, but I think it has to be fair, and we all need to act according to our agreements. We also need to be sincere,” the statement said vaguely.

It also said that the lecturer in question is suffering from severe stress and had to be admitted to the emergency room. He was diagnosed with hyperventilation, following the societal criticism.