Thai Court Annuls Decades-Old Rule on Student Hairstyles

[DD86]

9 hours ago, roo860 said:

Absolutely, these archaic rules are more fitting for North Korea.

Maybe better said for communist style countries.

[GreasyFingers]

So will the schools have the lady boys, potential and otherwise,  having longer hair and the Toms with short back and sides.

[sherwood]

4 hours ago, chilli42 said:

It’s about time. One step at a time I guess. All they need to do now is fix the curriculum and hire all new teachers actually educate the kids. 

All good but Thailand needs to watch what is taught and ffs keep ridiculous ideology flags out of the classrooms.

Head lice problems won't get any better so I would like to see problem addressed.

[Grusa]

"A sentiment shared on Facebook by the Office of the Administrative Court underlined a broader criticism, stating, "Thai education is overly focused on uniforms rather than on giving students skills for use in the future and preparing them for the demands of the global economy.""

 

Sorry folks, that is exactly what the powers-that-be do not want to give or prepare.

 

 

[Freddy42OZ]

4 hours ago, Watawattana said:

What?  Next they'll be allowing children to learn how to think for themselves and form their own opinions and beliefs!!!!

 

 

I agree with teaching them how to think for themselves, but make sure they know the facts first.

Opinions are not facts, nor are beliefs. 

Teach people facts.  

But it's not just in Thailand that people can't think for themselves.  

How many times has a stupid 'security' guard said you can't sit somewhere or can't take a photo in a public place?   I can't stand people who are too stupid to use their own initiative to judge a situation and make a decision, instead they stick rigidly to the rules as if their life depended on it.  

An intelligent person analyses the situation and even if they've not been given the authority to make a decision, they do anyway to show they can use their own initiative. 

I worked in an office and the Thai staff were utterly incapable of making a decision on their own.  They wouldn't question the boss at all and wouldn't dare suggest he was wrong.

Utterly moronic. 

I used to have screaming fights with the boss when he wanted me to do something and I knew he was being an idiot.  

 

[Searat7]

Next they should bring the girls’ uniforms into the 21st century. 

[khaowong1]

Just don't regulate the skirt length please.  

[hotchilli]

22 hours ago, webfact said:

In a landmark decision, the Supreme Administrative Court has annulled a decades-old regulation that restricted student hairstyles, a regulation dating back to the 1970s. This ruling marks a significant victory for personal freedom in educational settings, reflecting wider societal changes.

I thought it was already  agreed upon to ignore hairstyles.. I guess it's just become an actual law..

How long before the first teacher cut's someones hair?

[Luuk Chaai]

Hopefully ..   this dress code  is next in line to go 

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSb8r52Rm8R-tHXNvLIvzyztJ5PgIaHJroU0Q&shttps://kids.kiddle.co/images/thumb/e/ed/Khmer_Public_Schools_uniform.jpeg/300px-Khmer_Public_Schools_uniform.jpeg

[PomPolo]

On 3/6/2025 at 7:55 AM, Robert_Smith said:

What an effed up country.

 

The fact that we are even talking about these kinds of things is testament to that..

 

Regards, 

Bob.

Yep I think of this was enforced on my misses son and daughter they would just pack their bags and emigrate

[khunpeer]

On 3/6/2025 at 7:00 AM, webfact said:

Picture courtesy of Thai PBS

 

In a landmark decision, the Supreme Administrative Court has annulled a decades-old regulation that restricted student hairstyles, a regulation dating back to the 1970s. This ruling marks a significant victory for personal freedom in educational settings, reflecting wider societal changes.

 

The court's decision, delivered on Wednesday, overturns a 1975 Education Ministry regulation, effectively ending a law that many viewed as oppressive and outdated. The regulation dictated strict hairstyle rules for both male and female students, demanding short haircuts for boys and forbidding girls from growing their hair past their ears or wearing any makeup.

 

This directive was initially imposed under the authority of a military order from 1972, aimed at grooming students into "model" citizens. The court, however, deemed it misaligned with the constitutional rights to personal freedom and the principles outlined in the Child Protection Act 2003.

 

The court emphasised that imposing such restrictions negatively impacted student welfare rather than served their best interests. The ruling resonates with a broader cultural shift towards individual liberties and has been heralded as a triumph by educational reform advocates.

 

This decision stems from a petition originally filed in 2020 by 23 students who challenged the regulation's validity, arguing it curbed personal freedoms needlessly.

 

Educational authorities have gradually softened enforcement in recent years, permitting some schools to exercise discretion over dress codes and grooming standards. With this ruling, schools now possess the autonomy to decide on hairstyle policies, often consulting parents or allowing individual school authorities to make these decisions.

 

However, not everyone greeted the news with enthusiasm. On social media, particularly platforms linked to the student activist group Bad Student, there were concerns over potential pushback from traditionalist educators.

 

"As long as there is no punishment, those old-style teachers will continue to violate the rights of the body of children," commented a user known as C-disc on X, formerly Twitter. This group, which emerged during youth-led democratic protests, continues to challenge the rigid educational norms of Thailand.

 

A sentiment shared on Facebook by the Office of the Administrative Court underlined a broader criticism, stating, "Thai education is overly focused on uniforms rather than on giving students skills for use in the future and preparing them for the demands of the global economy."

 

This court ruling represents a significant step forward in educational reform, potentially signalling more changes to come in how Thai society approaches issues of personal freedom and education.

 

As the Ministry of Education adapts to this new legal landscape, observers will be keenly watching how schools implement these changes, especially in a cultural context where tradition often intersects with modern ideals, reported Bangkok Post.

 

-- 2025-03-06

 

 

"Thai education is overly focused on uniforms rather than on giving students skills for use in the future and preparing them for the demands of the global economy"

 

FINALLY they wake up and cut this nonsense...

when my daughter entered the secondary school her teacher told me that she would need to have two ponytails instead of the one I would braid for her every morning.

i answered that it's not that important how her hair looks, but more what is done with the inside of her head...

this is 6 years ago!

FINALLY now they agree with me...

[PomPolo]

20 hours ago, Guderian said:

Now maybe they can also stop the ridiculous practice of all the civilian politicians dressing up in military uniforms.

 

 

 

It was fair enough for loong Prayuth, because he actually was a soldier, but Srettha's a businessman, a suit and tie would be much more sensible.

 

He was young in that photo I think it's quite amusing they dress in all that military attire when the only thing they actually fight is themselves

[Mayhem11]

Everyone is an expert on education cos they went to school.

[Captain Flack]

An off topic troll post has been removed.

[BangkokReady]

6 hours ago, khunpeer said:

it's not that important how her hair looks, but more what is done with the inside of her head

 

It's not one or the other.

[black tabby12345]

It is always the young that has the better chances of changing things for the better.

Salute to the peaceful Freedom Fighters of this kingdom.

[black tabby12345]

On 3/6/2025 at 2:41 PM, Tarteso said:

Oh My Buddha!!!
what’s the next, free hair stile for monks ?😁

 

Surprisingly, in some NE Asian nation(namely, Japan), Buddhist monks don't always have to shave their head.

 

Some are in the hairstyle like ordinary blue/white collar workers.

While they are still clean-cut, clean-shaven; certainly no dread hair like styles though.

 

 

[black tabby12345]

14 hours ago, Luuk Chaai said:

Hopefully ..   this dress code  is next in line to go 

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSb8r52Rm8R-tHXNvLIvzyztJ5PgIaHJroU0Q&shttps://kids.kiddle.co/images/thumb/e/ed/Khmer_Public_Schools_uniform.jpeg/300px-Khmer_Public_Schools_uniform.jpeg

 

Looks like Public School Uniform exists as the part of the Job Creation Scheme in Asian countries.

Quite a few people live on the production and sales of such clothing.

 

So, there is a silent stubborn  resistance not to change it.

And the parents of the minors are often strongly pro-uniform.

Saying,  'school boys and girls better be in uniform. Or we have to spend our time thinking about  what they wear daily...' .

[Sydebolle]

So the uglification of Thai children during their formative years at the world's most questionable schools comes to a screeching halt - thank the Lord for this. So the only spot on the planet remaining with governmentally "inspired" haircuts remains North Korea then ......