Thailand’s Ministry of Education confirms closure of schools in 28 provinces

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Thailand’s Ministry of Education confirms closure of schools in 28 provinces

 

FILE PHOTO: A student wearing a face mask has her body temperature checked due to the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) before entering a school in Bangkok, Thailand, October 7, 2020. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha

 

Thailand’s Ministry of Education has announced the closure of all schools in 28 provinces until January 31, 2021 or until further notice.

 

The order released late on Saturday applies to all education institutions and both “informal and formal” schools. 

 

The order applies to the following provinces: Ang Thong, Ayutthaya, Bangkok, Chachoengsao, Chanthaburi, Chonburi, Chumphon, Kanchanaburi, Lopburi, Nakhon Nayok, Nakhon Pathom, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Phetchaburi, Prachinburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Ranong, Ratchaburi, Rayong, Sakeao, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Samut Songkhram, Saraburi, Singburi, Suphanburi, Tak and Trat.

 

It is these provinces which Thailand’s Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) has proposed to become ‘highly controlled’ (red) zones, increasing restrictions in order to limit the spread of the coronavirus.

 

Schools affected by the closure are expected to assign work online to students where possible.

 

The closure comes into effect on January 4, 2021.

 

The news comes as spokesperson Dr Taweesin Visanuyothin on Saturday said the CCSA will propose to Prime Minister Prayut that the aforementioned provinces be re-categorized as ‘highly controlled’ zones. 

 

If approved there will likely be restrictions on cross provincial movement and ‘high risk’ venues such as bars and nightclubs could be closed, as well as a recommendation for people to work from home where possible. 

 

It is also believed that provincial governors will be given special administrative powers that allow them to set their own rules in order to control the spread of the virus. 

 

 

 

 

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[ThailandRyan]

Looks like another long break for the kids. Just like last year when they shut in March.  Hopefully not for 3 months again like then. No playgrounds or parks open either. This should be fun.

[FarFlungFalang]

15 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

It is also believed that provincial governors will be given special administrative powers that allow them to set their own rules in order to control the spread of the virus. 

Which will immediately voided upon any emergency decree and total lockdown because of disputes over provincial measures.

[Ventenio]

28 provinces is no joke.  We are all pretty close to some of these places.  Thailand isn't that big, Tak "seems" far to me but in reality it really isn't. 

 

and yet I still eat at restaurants, walk with strangers, and lift weights in a park without a mask at times.

 

maybe i should get my head examined.....oh yea, i did and it said, "you farang. farang you."

 

time for more caution,  

[Cake Monster]

18 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

Schools affected by the closure are expected to assign work online to students where possible.

I really hope they do a better Job of it than last time.

3 Hours online and a little " Project work " every other Day, is hardly Education IMO.

[tandor]

15 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Looks like another long break for the kids. Just like last year when they shut in March.  Hopefully not for 3 months again like then. No playgrounds or parks open either. This should be fun.

..i wonder how the schools are going to control safe distancing when the kids arrive in say a neighbours car or a chartered mini bus that picks them up at their respective homes and packs them in..no 1m distancing on these buses nor family cars..so they effectively some could be positive or a symptomatic although under 12 they're not tested and below 18 they dont qualify to be vaccinated, as no child vaccine has been made yet!

So they arrive at school and get out of their vehicles where, one could wager they have been in close contact for more than 15 minutes, they then split so they're 1m apart and go to their respective classes where the spacing is observed..when the bell goes they're one big group shouting, sneezing, coughing, pumping out expelled air in the direction of others.

Good luck children.

[brewsterbudgen]

2 minutes ago, tandor said:

..i wonder how the schools are going to control safe distancing when the kids arrive in say a neighbours car or a chartered mini bus that picks them up at their respective homes and packs them in..no 1m distancing on these buses nor family cars..so they effectively some could be positive or a symptomatic although under 12 they're not tested and below 18 they dont qualify to be vaccinated, as no child vaccine has been made yet!

So they arrive at school and get out of their vehicles where, one could wager they have been in close contact for more than 15 minutes, they then split so they're 1m apart and go to their respective classes where the spacing is observed..when the bell goes they're one big group shouting, sneezing, coughing, pumping out expelled air in the direction of others.

Good luck children.

Schools are closed!

[tandor]

2 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Schools are closed!

..really...i was laying out the obvious reasons and causes long before they issued the order...Thai pretend they're doing it, but due to lack of general knowledge most are way behind the play here...gates open..horse has gone.

[barney42bb]

Doing what they do best.... Copy.... Copy....Copy

But this kind of Copying will not help you.... Lockdown's Don't Work.

[dogfish180]

Don't give those kids an education, they'll only become smart enough to realise that the government is a fraud and revolt! ????????????

[metisdead]

A conspiracy post has been reported and removed as well as a reply. 

[geisha]

Seeing how the virus spread quickly end of September , I think the kids are spreading it fast. Just my opinion of course, I know I might be wrong. I don’t think the governments want to admit to this . 

[Mike k]

2 hours ago, Ventenio said:

28 provinces is no joke.  We are all pretty close to some of these places.  Thailand isn't that big, Tak "seems" far to me but in reality it really isn't. 

 

and yet I still eat at restaurants, walk with strangers, and lift weights in a park without a mask at times.

 

maybe i should get my head examined.....oh yea, i did and it said, "you farang. farang you."

 

time for more caution,  

The province I live in had 2 cases last week now we're red Sa kaeo was green now it's red 

[Yorkshire Tea]

Chiang Mai schools going into panic mode ????

[scorecard]

2 hours ago, barney42bb said:

Doing what they do best.... Copy.... Copy....Copy

But this kind of Copying will not help you.... Lockdown's Don't Work.

Not so sure about your last 2 words.

[scorecard]

2 hours ago, tandor said:

..i wonder how the schools are going to control safe distancing when the kids arrive in say a neighbours car or a chartered mini bus that picks them up at their respective homes and packs them in..no 1m distancing on these buses nor family cars..so they effectively some could be positive or a symptomatic although under 12 they're not tested and below 18 they dont qualify to be vaccinated, as no child vaccine has been made yet!

So they arrive at school and get out of their vehicles where, one could wager they have been in close contact for more than 15 minutes, they then split so they're 1m apart and go to their respective classes where the spacing is observed..when the bell goes they're one big group shouting, sneezing, coughing, pumping out expelled air in the direction of others.

Good luck children.

Plus the driver/attendant doesn't check if all the kids are out of the bus/van.

[DJ54]

Do they pass everyone to the next grade....

[GreasyFingers]

Phetchabun is not listed in the 28 provinces but the wife tells me the schools here are closed for the month.

[ThailandRyan]

6 minutes ago, GreasyFingers said:

Phetchabun is not listed in the 28 provinces but the wife tells me the schools here are closed for the month.

Sounds like it is nationwide

[A Los for words]

20 minutes ago, DJ54 said:

Do they pass everyone to the next grade....

If it's a Thai school then they would pass irrespective of any closure. 

 

[A Los for words]

12 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Sounds like it is nationwide

Not....yet

[fideliolux]

2 hours ago, barney42bb said:

Doing what they do best.... Copy.... Copy....Copy

But this kind of Copying will not help you.... Lockdown's Don't Work.

Ok, but they are not capable if doing good copies, China locked down Wuhan completely for 11 weeks and it worked. Here only the poor Myanmar people are locked in with barbed wires around their camps.

The divine people can travel around without restrictions because they are protected by Buddha.

The funny thing is it only works for Covid, but not for road casualties and suicides. Here the divine people are not protected!

[GreasyFingers]

25 minutes ago, A Los for words said:

If it's a Thai school then they would pass irrespective of any closure. 

 

The 18yo daughter has apparently been accepted by three universities before completing 2021. No knowledge of what exams were taken.

[henry213]

Open or closed they learn very little anyway, One of the worst education systems in the world.

[SiSePuede419]

Covid can damage children's hearts even if they have NO SYMPTOMS. ????

[tandor]

18 hours ago, scorecard said:

Plus the driver/attendant doesn't check if all the kids are out of the bus/van.

...yes; wasn't that unforgiveable.

[scorecard]

18 hours ago, GreasyFingers said:

Phetchabun is not listed in the 28 provinces but the wife tells me the schools here are closed for the month.

As usual, never expect that Thai lists of anything is complete or accurate.

Yesterday I was scanning a list of 28 provinces supposedly under lockdown. The province I was searching for was not on the list.

 

This morning it's magically on the list and has the second highest number of current infections.

 

Reminds me of 1 uni I worked at, professors submitted a list of grades and the admin. staff then one by one put the grades into an individual account per student on a simple spreadsheet. 

 

Again and again many mistakes; wrong grades typed in, 1 or 2 grades on the submitted list never added into the personal accounts, etc. I and other professors asked several times 'do you do any form check after you've transferred the grades from the list submitted to the individual accounts?' Answer 'what for'.

 

A couple of times students had been given a print out of the grades so far, some courses/grades missing. Office refused to engage in any conversation/discussion. Student had to then go to the professor and ask for a copy of the grade list for that course. Grade list had to be then 'approved' by the dean. Then a wait of a few days/weeks for the admin staff to add the missed grades to the individual accounts. Students never kept informed.

 

After I submitted the grade list I waited 3 or 4 days then politely asked the office coordinator if the grades had been 'loaded'. When the answer affirmation I told the students to check their personal grade list and then take a smartphone photo and before each class students had to come to me and show their grades and I kept a record. Often errors and missed grades.

 

The point; nothing ever gets checked. 

Edited January 4, 2021 by scorecard

[DavisH]

22 hours ago, Cake Monster said:

I really hope they do a better Job of it than last time.

3 Hours online and a little " Project work " every other Day, is hardly Education IMO.

Yes because the kids are just gagging to study online lol. many of my students much prefer to study at school than online. I can't blame them. 

[DavisH]

17 hours ago, henry213 said:

Open or closed they learn very little anyway, One of the worst education systems in the world.

Are you a teacher? If not, then how do you know what goes on in classrooms here? That may be when some of my students fo to the US on exchange, they said how easy the classes were (and they are; as I've seen what they were learning)...hmmm.. but it looks like many picked up a lousy US attitude. 

[DavisH]

18 hours ago, GreasyFingers said:

The 18yo daughter has apparently been accepted by three universities before completing 2021. No knowledge of what exams were taken.

What universities and what courses? Many students get accepted prior to finishing high school, especially if said courses do not require government exams like O-Net.many international programs require SAT and/or IELTS scores. No Thai scores needed.