The seminar featured Professor Emeritus Dr. Thongchai Winichakul, Visiting Professor at Pridi Banomyong International College and one of Thailand’s most influential historians, as the speaker. The event was organized under the Thai Studies Program, led by Ajarn Warachaya Liaotianchai (Ajarn Som).

In his talk, Dr. Thongchai examined how legal “exceptions” have become normalized practices within Thailand’s justice system. Using the case of ankle shackles imposed on male prisoners when appearing in court, he demonstrated how a practice explicitly prohibited by law has nonetheless become routine—so routine that standardized forms are filled out without deliberation or judicial discretion. These shackles have effectively become a form of “modern restraints,” illustrating how legal exceptions are institutionalized and rendered invisible in everyday judicial procedures.

The seminar drew strong interest from faculty members, students, and members of the public, and provided a space for critical discussion on structural problems within Thailand’s legal and justice system, including practices within the courtroom itself.