<p>An opinion that shows how SOTUS and hazing culture in education institutions and society&nbsp;pave a foundation for dictatorship and authoritarianism in Thailand.</p>

<div> <div>This year’s university initiation season has been inaugurated with the message that “touching someone else’s genitals can create love and unity.” Meanwhile, an anti-Islam monk has been disrobed for inciting violence against Muslims.</div> </div> <h2>Too much love at a Thai university</h2> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div> <div>The beginning of the university year in Thailand is marked by reports of physical, mental and sexual abuse against freshman students during initiation activities. </div></div>

<div> <div>Silpakorn University (SU) has initiated an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment during freshman orientation activities, where students were allegedly forced to strip and shower together.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>The allegations emerged on 16 September 2017 when Anti-SOTUS, a network that campaigns against human rights violations in universities, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AntiSOTUSPage/">posted on its Facebook page</a> reports it had received from SU Fine Arts students. </div></div>

<div>A university staff has asked a student to cease prosecution against seniors who posted her picture on Facebook and condemned her for inappropriate dressing though she was in a department store.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>On 10 July 2017, the ANTI-SOTUS, a network against human rights violations in universities, published screen captures of a Facebook user posting candid photos of a student wearing uniform of Maejo University with jean and sandals. The photo's’ caption is “What’s your major? How could you dress like this? Don’t your seniors educate you? </div>

<p>A youth group opposing hazing rituals commonly practised in Thai universities is urging students to confront hazers with reasons, pointing out that the rituals breed authoritarianism in Thai society.</p> <p>A youth group called ‘ANTI-SOTUS’ on Saturday, 4 June 2016, organised a public discussion at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, about the SOTUS system in Thailand.</p>

<p>More than 100 academics and activists throughout the country have issued a joint statement in support of an embattled lecturer in Isan, Thailand’s Northeast, who has received threats and online bullying after expressing her disapproval over hazing rituals.</p>