12.02.09 Thugs in for harsh treatment
Source: Bangkok Post
Authorities are calling for harsh action against vocational college students who continue to engage in violent clashes.
Education Minister Jurin Laksanavisit yesterday said clashes between
students from Pathumwan Institute of Technology and Rajamangala
University of Technology's Uthen Thawai campus in Pathumwan district
were longstanding and needed lasting solutions.
Immediate measures should include taking serious legal and disciplinary action against students who are obsessed with violence.
If executives of the schools comply with the guidelines, the problem could be solved, Mr Jurin said.
National police chief Patcharawat Wongsuwon supported the stance.
"If teachers find any students carrying knives, they must suspend
the students," Pol Gen Patcharawat said. "Students caught carrying
firearms must be dismissed."
The national police chief yesterday sent officers to guard the
entrances of the two schools. The measure follows a massive clash in
front of the MBK centre on Tuesday between hundreds of students from
the two vocational schools, which are located close to each other in
Bangkok's shopping district.
Police arrested three students who fired guns and carried knives. The police chief demanded immediate legal action against them.
Only a handful of students showed up for classes at the vocational
schools yesterday after the clash in front of the MBK centre injured
two people and left windows broken.
Executives from the vocational schools met representatives from the
Education Ministry and local police at a Bangkok hotel yesterday to
look for solutions to student violence.
Somkiart Jongprasitporn, rector of Pathumwan Institute of
Technology, said executives and teachers of the two schools, the Office
of the Higher Education Commission and police would form a joint
committee to implement solutions.
Yesterday they agreed that first-year students from the two schools
should attend basic subject classes together, that there should be
joint social activities and teachers from both schools should have
annual joint seminars.
This would improve relationships between students and staff, but Mr
Somkiart admitted that it would take time for the councils of both
schools to approve the ideas.
Higher Education Commission secretary-general Sumate Yamnoon
suggested the two schools should not admit new students who demonstrate
violent tendencies and they should suspend for one term existing
students who have been involved in clashes.
He also recommended that the Pathumwan Institute of Technology
transfer its daytime students to its campus in Pathum Thani province.
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