About 500 students on the Uthen Thawai campus of Rajamangala University of Technology Tawan-ok rallied on Thursday to oppose a court order for the 88-year-old school to relocate from land owned by Chulalongkorn University.
They gathered at about 11.30am in front of the campus on Phayathai Road and demanded that the rector or president of the university council meet them and accept their letter of protest. They threatened to completely block Phayathai Road until administrators showed up to listen to their grievances.
About 100 metropolitan police officers were deployed at the campus to maintain order.
The students said they were rallying in the name of former and current students, the Parents and Teachers Association of Uthen Thawai, the Uthen Thawai Alumni Association and a group of student supporters.
The campus, originally known as Uthen Thawai Builders School, occupies a 20-rai plot that was leased from Chulalongkorn University for 68 years. The lease expired in 2003.
In 1975, Chulalongkorn University started negotiating for the return of the land for its expansion projects. But the school has continued to occupy the land, and Chulalongkorn University petitioned the Administrative Court for a relocation order.
The Supreme Administrative Court issued an order on Dec 14 last year for the school to relocate the campus.
