Unruly Students To Be Sent To Military Boot Camp

[george]

Unruly Thai students to be sent to military boot camp

Bangkok, Dec 27 (DPA) Thai authorities are planning to send troublesome students to military ''boot camps'' following a series of deadly street fights between youths from rival vocational schools, news reports said today.

Administrators of about 80 state and private vocational schools in Bangkok were ordered yesterday to compile lists of student trouble-makers within 10 days and submit them to Education Minister Adisai Bodharamik.

Students on the list would be sent to military camps to undergo behaviour training for between two and six months, depending on how violent they have been.

''I don't care if parents of blacklisted students complain,'' Adisai told the Bangkok Post. ''I am not gathering the lists to 30,000 drug addicts and other offenders nationwide in the past year, will be implemented for vocational students starting in January.

It is expected to include 1,000 students, or about 5 per cent of the 20,000 vocational students registered in Bangkok.

--Agencies/DPA

Thai PM vows to end student clashes after deaths

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has vowed to put an end to worsening violent street brawls between rival students following the deaths of two bystanders in as many days.

Clashes between vocational students have long been a problem in Bangkok, but the death of a 21-year-old female university senior, caught in crossfire late on Wednesday when a teenage student shot at approaching rivals, pushed public outrage to boiling point.

"It's a long-term problem - I am considering what the best way to solve this problem is, and I will call a meeting of all parties concerned," Mr Thaksin told reporters at his Thai Rak Thai party retreat in the seaside resort of Pattaya.

He said the conditions have deteriorated due in part to the relatively easy access to arms.

"Yes, the situation is worsening as arms like guns are easily available and parents give money to their children to buy guns," Mr Thaksin said.

The main culprits in the street fights are vocational students, who are typically aged 16 to 18 and learn trades in lieu of their final three years of high school.

The premier ruled out shutting down vocational schools but said he would "have to ask students how they wanted to address this problem".

Education Minister Adisai Bodharamik was due to meet executives from 80 vocational schools on Friday to map out practical measures to stem the violence.

The 21-year-old victim, Suntharee Sawatrattikan, was struck by a stray bullet as she waited with her boyfriend at a bus shelter in Bangkok.

Police said they arrested a 17-year-old student from Dusit Technical College after the incident, which brought a torrent of outrage in the Thai media and Internet forums as well as on radio talk shows.

Mass-circulation daily Thai Rath railed on its front page against the "bastard vocational students" responsible for Suntharee's death.

On Thursday, a 30-year-old man died after he was pushed off a moving public bus by a gang of students.

The deceased's nephew is a student at a rival school.

In late August, two students died and about 100 were wounded during a massive street brawl at an outdoor concert.

-- AFP

[meemiathai]

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