The institute’s deputy secretary-general, Wuttisarn Tanchai, denied reports that the institute had asked the SRT to exempt it from the rental fee for the 75 members of the institute’s Class 15 of the Public Administration and Public Law course.

“It is true that we sent a letter to the SRT, seeking its support concerning the trip of Class 15 students. However we did not ask to use it free of charge,” he said.

The SRT is considering charging the institute based on the same rules applied to government agencies, he said. It is common for government agencies to ask for a reduction in fees.

“I wish to insist that the institute will pay a fee for renting SRT’s carriages as well as for the students’ meals during the train trip,” he clarified.