Student Rights Activists Campaign Against Shaving Hair Outside Alleged School

Four members of a group of student rights activists calling themselves “Bad Students” travelled from Bangkok to Bueng Sam Phan district in Petchabun province on February 10, 2023 to distribute the manual “How to Survive in a School” and a sticker reading “Free Haircut” to students at the alleged school where teachers have shaved part of the hair of more than 100 students since 7 February.

The members brought 1,200 manuals, which they displayed in shops near schools. They hoped to get students and teachers to recognise their own rights and avoid a repetition of the incidents.

Anna, the representative of the group, told reporters that they travelled to the school from Bangkok to distribute the handbook and sticker because they hope to educate people about the rights of young people and how to deal with possible harassment after hearing that there was an incident at this school where parts of students’ hair were shaved off. Anna said the action was wrong and violated the assault law, which clearly states that shaving part of a person’s hair is assault.

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It was reported that some students put the handbook and sticker they received in their pockets, while some refused to even accept them as teachers stood outside the school. It was also reported that a police officer from Bueng Sam Phan Police Station observed the action.

Thai Education Minister Trinuch Thienthong told reporters on 8th February that she had seen the video of the incident and thought it was inappropriate as the Ministry of Education had issued the ministry’s decree revoking the previous ministry regulation on a hairstyle on 16 January 2023. She also said that the ministry is in the process of reforming the hairstyle policy.

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Trinunch added that students are allowed to wear a short or long hairstyle, while the school can prescribe hairstyles depending on the context. However, shaving part of the student’s hair is a wrong act and inappropriate. According to the 2005 Ministry of Education Decree, a school can punish students in four ways: verbal warning, probation, deduction of behavior score and behavioral modification activities.

She said she has directed the office of the Basic Education Commission to investigate the incident of the headmaster and the male teacher. If found guilty, they will be sent to the disciplinary committee for investigation and punished.