Moving north a proven success
Thammasat University (TU), founded in 1943, has lived up to its name as an academic institute grooming students for careers in politics and law. But its decision to set up a campus in Lampang in 1996 represents the university’s shift from political science to social development.
The Lampang campus was initially opened in 1992 to offer what is known as the Master of Political Science Programme in Politics and Government for Executives (MPE). It did not have its own building, so classes were conducted inside the Lampang provincial hall.
It was not until July 1996 that the TU council resolved to set up a college there to pursue its initiatives in education development in the provinces after Lampang showed the potential to be developed as a hub to give local students in the North an opportunity to pursue quality higher education without the need to relocate to Bangkok.
Despite its specialties in politics and law, TU opted to offer social administration education when it launched the Lampang campus.
According to education observers, the university’s decision to realign itself with social development education is paying off, given its diversified programmes. The campus now teaches law, social administration, science and technology, and fine and applied arts. It also has a college of interdisciplinary studies.
At least two individuals are behind the university’s move to expand education opportunities to the North and need to invest substantially in social development education: Lampang veteran politician Boonchu Trithong and TU rector Somkid Lertpaitoon.
Mr Boonchu is known to make generous donations to support local education in Lampang and his generosity includes a 364-rai plot of land and dozens of millions of baht to fund the construction of buildings and facilities such as libraries and student dormitories at TU’s Lampang campus in Hang Chat district.
The politician is also known to grant scholarships to support the education of needy local students and pledge to give financial support for the campus’s future projects.
Mr Boonchu’s heavy involvement in the promotion of education is in part due to his experience as minister of the long-dissolved university affairs ministry before the post was merged and his five-year political ban.
Mr Boonchu has insisted he has lost his appetite to return to active politics.
He is among 111 former Thai Rak Thai Party executives banned from participating in politics for five years when their party was disbanded as a result of electoral fraud.
Mr Somkid, meanwhile, is known to lend full support to the Lampang campus’ initiatives and activities, according to observers.
The campus is also said to use a different approach when it comes to student recruitment. While other academic institutions call for applications, TU’s Lampang campus is said to send out scouts to the northern provinces looking for young talent or those with potential.
With close connections with the civil movement, Mr Somkid who is serving his second term as the TU rector has reportedly secured much-needed cooperation to help the campus grow.
His unpopularity among some TU students at the main campus which is regarded a bastion of liberal activism does not seem to cause a stir there.
The rector has brushed off calls and stayed on to serve a member of the National Legislative Assembly and that of the coup-appointed panel tasked with police reform.