The youngest person ever to face charges in Thailand for disrespecting the royal family is asking her school why she was suspended from class, claiming that they are violating her fundamental rights.
But Triamudomsuksapattanakarn School was unmoved, regardless of what 15-year-old “Yok” did or how much media attention she earned in the previous week.
In a statement on June 14, the prominent Bangkok institution stated, “She is no longer our student.”
Athapol Anunthavorasakul, a professor at Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Education, claimed Yok’s attention-grabbing actions were violent because of the school’s firm attitude and near total silence.
“The school director is demonstrating her control by opting to engage in just one-way communication, such as hosting a news conference. She is under no need to pay attention to what the girl is saying, the educator said.
Is it as a result of her activism?
Athapol thinks Yok may have been the victim of discrimination at the school since it views her as an activist rather than a troubled young person.
Yok was detained in March and accused of lese-majeste for her participation in a rally in support of Section 112 reform that was held in October 2022 and which carries a maximum 15-year prison sentence. At the time of the alleged offense, she was 14 years old.
Students around the nation started staging demonstrations in 2020 to demand Section 112’s change or repeal. According to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, during the “Free Youth” rallies that ran from July 2020 through February of this year, at least 1,914 persons, including 284 children, were prosecuted for their political expression.
Yok was held in the care of the government-run Ban Pranee Juvenile Vocational Training Center for Girls for 51 days after her bail request was denied.
Yok was eventually given permission to leave the facility under the guardianship of senior friends and activists. She was taken to Triamudomsuksapattanakarn School by an older activist because she was unable to reach her parents and needed to enroll for the upcoming semester. She was denied entry by the school because, in accordance with the Child Protection Act, she needed to be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Yok had until June 10 to register with a parent, according to the school. But she was unable to.
According to Athapol, the school may have acted differently if it had thought of the girl as a youngster unable to reach her parents for any reason.
According to me, Yok is perceived by the school as an activist who is associated with political groups and who is pushing her seniors.
What transpired at Yok’s institution?
For a few weeks, Yok was permitted to attend Mathayom 4 at the school before being asked to leave since she failed to have a parent with her when she registered.
On June 13, Yok lamented on Facebook, “I was told [by the school] that I was now an outsider.”
She got a lot of criticism for breaking several school rules, such wearing a uniform and being required to attend the daily flag-raising ceremony, in the comments section of the post. Additionally, she had coloured her hair, which was prohibited in Thailand’s majority of public schools.
According to Triamudomsuksapattanakarn School, Yok has disobeyed norms that are outlined in the student handbook and accepted by all parties involved with the school.
She hasn’t cooperated, despite our best efforts to care for her inside our system, according to the school.
Yok was approached by the mothers of several other children when she snuck into class after the school had labeled her an outsider.
battle with the authorities
Yok’s defiant behavior, according to Athapol, was directed not only at Triamudomsuksapattanakarn School but also at the norms imposed across the state-school system.
She is protesting politics with her activities. She is coming out in opposition to the government’s use of force,” the lecturer stated.
Yok revealed that she decided to colour her hair and give up wearing a school uniform in order to express her individuality. She claimed that she did not understand why private school children were given more freedom. One day per week, students at private schools like the Bangkok Christian College are free to wear anything they wish to class.
Athapol believes that communication is the best course of action when a youngster exhibits Yok-like behavior.
But, he continued, “We have not seen that kind of response.”
Who says the authorities?
According to the Office of Basic Education Commission (OBEC), Yok is free to select another type of education, such as homeschooling or informal education, if she chooses not to comply with school regulations.
“I’m hoping the general public will realize the importance of teaching morality and getting along with people in schools. Amporn Pinasa, the secretary-general of OBEC, stated that this is why rules are necessary.
In contrast, Athapol argues that the Education Ministry would have conveyed a different message if it supported children’s rights.
unclear direction
Athapol said that although it appeared in recent years that Thailand was progressing toward easing school regulations to provide students more freedom, the responses to Yok’s case revealed the country had made very little progress in this direction.
Yok’s actions have drawn criticism from many, he said, despite recent plaudits for allowing pupils to wear makeup, have longer hair, and even dress according to their gender identity rather than sex at birth.
I need empathy
Twitter and other social media platforms have been flooded with messages urging Triamudomsuksapattanakarn School to maintain its position in the face of Yok’s resistance. Yok’s conservative detractors view her behavior as pushy and inappropriate.
Athapol argued that more investigation is required to determine why Yok may have defied authority in these ways, as well as what she had to deal with at protests and while being detained.
He questioned, “How has her faith in authority figures vanished?
“Pain lies beneath that mistrust.”
A student at Chulalongkorn University named Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal claimed he too experienced a great deal of harassment and discrimination because of his liberal views. He used to raise concerns about the authoritarian methods utilized in schools and was met with a barrage of criticism as a result. Looking back, he acknowledged that a select group of pals, together with a few teachers and elders, helped him to survive.
They might not have agreed with me or fully comprehended what I was saying. But they were funny enough, could tell I meant well, and were open to giving me chances,” he said in a tweet.
