Bangkok: Spokesperson for the Ministry of Education is concerned about copycat behavior, reiterates stance not supporting violence, recommends respect for rights in schools. Mr. Siripong Angkasakulkiat, spokesman for the Ministry of Education, revealed the concerns of Pol. Gen. Phermpoon Chidchob, Minister of Education, regarding the news of senior students throwing hot water on the faces of juniors. Students may be influenced by social trends or online media, which may lead to values that violate the rights of others, leading to violence.
According to Thai News Agency, the Education Ministry spokesperson said that even though the incident was not a violent incident by students or staff, it has greatly shocked teachers and parents who take care of school-aged children and youth. This behavior is not only a crime, but also reflects the problem of violence from not accepting the differences in each person's identity, which is an issue that the Education Ministry attaches great importance to.
The Ministry of Education places importance on the policy of 'Good Learning, Happy Learning' which wants our students to learn and live together happily, respecting rights and freedoms amidst the diversity in the school. Therefore, we would like to ask that you take into account the feelings of others and that there should be no violent behavior. Conflict issues that are ignored until they are understood as normal may lead to the use of force if the concept of respecting each other's rights and freedoms is not properly instilled.
The spokesperson further urged teachers and parents to help advise students on appropriate behavior, including using social media carefully, especially consuming media with violent content that may lead to copycat behavior, including posting or sharing content that affects others' feelings both physically and mentally. They should be aware of the possible impact of every action to prevent future problems.
The Ministry of Education reaffirmed its position against any form of violence and emphasized the creation of safe spaces in educational institutions to promote coexistence with mutual respect. Instilling the right mindset from today will help stimulate a culture of solving problems with reason instead of using force, leading the educational society to move towards a future free from violence and filled with true understanding among each other.
In this era, the Ministry emphasized the importance of instilling the right values in Thai youth, to understand and love each other's human dignity. Violence should not be seen as normal until it becomes a norm and escalates to the use of force. The Ministry aims to prevent such incidents from happening in the educational society again.