Ministry cuts 5cm rule on schoolboys' hair length

SUPINDA NA MAHACHAI

THE NATION

Strict limits on the length of students' hair will be abolished, Education Minister Phongthep Thepkanjana said yesterday.

BANGKOK: -- A long-standing regulation that all schoolboys must have close-cropped hair, with the length not exceeding five centimetres, and that schoolgirls' hair must not be worn below the base of their neck, has already been amended to allow students to wear their hair longer, at the discretion of their school.

However, many students complained that they are punished in school for sporting longer hair as it is said to violate the regulations.

Phongthep said leaving the decision on acceptable hair length up to each individual school was unreasonable: students of every school should be treated the same.

"I ordered the ministry's Permanent Secretary Office to send a letter to every school under the ministry telling them that male students should have short hair [but] they will no longer be required to have close-cropped hair, while female students could choose to have short or long hair. They will still have to tie it or make it look tidy, however," Phongthep said.

-- The Nation 2013-01-10

Well, they did something about what is on top of the students' heads. Now, the big question is: Is the Education Ministry capable of doing anything to improve what goes inside of those same heads?

The message is you are to be controlled by the govt. get used to it.

What's next, abolish the school uniforms?

What is unreasonable is that they do not allow the individual schools to determine what they consider as acceptable. Perhaps the next action will be to tell the military that they can not dictate the hair lenght either. Troopers with ponytails !!

Well, they did something about what is on top of the students' heads. Now, the big question is: Is the Education Ministry capable of doing anything to improve what goes inside of those same heads?

Post of the day. Bravo.

Off topic posts and replies have been removed.

How was this dealt previously, if the student was a genuine practitioner of Sikh or Jewish religion?

How was this dealt previously, if the student was a genuine practitioner of Sikh or Jewish religion?

Foreigner go home?

In all seriousness I believe this ridiculous hair cut only applies to government schools and schools that follow the Thai curriculum. Certainly doesnt apply to many dual curriculum and international schools.

how they gonna tell girls from boys now? more katoeis in the future? loooooooooooooooooooool

How was this dealt previously, if the student was a genuine practitioner of Sikh or Jewish religion?

Foreigner go home?

In all seriousness I believe this ridiculous hair cut only applies to government schools and schools that follow the Thai curriculum. Certainly doesnt apply to many dual curriculum and international schools.

you are correct... it does not apply at the international schools, or at least not the one my kid goes to anyways...

I am sure they mean 5mm and not 5cm.

Nothing better to focus on at Thai Education, honestly is the length of hair the most pressing issue?

shave all students head , and tatoo'ed a number

Close cropped, not exceeding 5cm. Ummmm?

What a wonderfully typical thai regulation

While I certainly agree with the removal of this ridiculous rule I an led to believe the , ''short hair'' mandate was introduced by a general in the military at the time of a coup which was considered a bit bloody by Thai standards .

The general concerned ordered the short hair order so as to be able to identify schoolchildren and older students from the anti coup fighters, the reason being the said general was rather against the wounding maiming or slaughter of innocent students and children. Short hair ensured the children and students were removed from the area of danger quickly.

Urban myth or not I don't know ?

My older Thai colleagues and older Thai friends and family members tell me this tale, however I first heard it some 22 + years back at the time of the very unpleasant 1992 civil strife scenario.

Anyone able to throw light on the reality of the reason

Headline

"Hairdressers and Hair Clipper Manufacturers demand re-instatement of regulation"

In response to the change in regulation covering the length of hair in school, the Thai Hairdressers Association and Thai Clippers Manufacturers Association demanded re-instatement of the rule covering the length of hair, since it will cause an outbreak of greasy hair, nits and unnecessary pollution caused by an increased use of shampoo, according to spokesman Somchai Klipalot...

Thailand to become hub of hairstyles?

What is unreasonable is that they do not allow the individual schools to determine what they consider as acceptable. Perhaps the next action will be to tell the military that they can not dictate the hair lenght either. Troopers with ponytails !!

But this is the point!

As the article states the regulation had ALREADY been removed, 9 years ago infact, and was left to the discretion of each individual school director.

The "problem" was two fold.

1. Many directors dont have a clue the rule was removed and continue it regardless of whether they agree with it or not. I have asked MANY directors why they do this and 100% reply "we have no choice, it is the law". The ignorance of these people is beyond belief some times.

2. It creates two tier systems. In my town there are 4 large government schools. Three do not make them cut hair and one does. The one that does is now widely regarded as the "worst" because it is the kids last choice. This means all the bright kids choose one f the other 3 which means the school getting the least capable teachers and the whole thing snowballs.

This letter attempts to cover both factors i.e. enlighten the directors living in the dark ages and level the paying field for all schools/kids. It is ludicrous that kids are beaten (and they are) for breaking a "rule" that does not actually exist. The recent thrashing of 60 girls at one school, ordered by an ignorant new director, has almost certainly prompted this move by the ministry. thje whole incident was captured on video and went viral quickly. Ten teachers involved are facing crimninal charges. Their defence??? The new director offered them money to do it! <deleted>?

There was a "report" by a professor at Thamasat University two years aog which stated the haircut rule was the single biggest factor holding kids back (from developing as individuals). Thats a bit extreme, but it is high time this antiquated regulation was removed properly so good riddance to it.

Non-English posts (and replies to them) have been deleted.

Good that the situation has now been clarified. Thai kids are just beginning to express themselves and have free opinions and the length of a child's hair is between him and his parents. The schools, as has been alluded to above should be concentrating on addressing the Kingdom's position of having the worst English language skills in ASEAN, and the fact that the average waitress can't take 10 away from a hundred without the use of a calculator.

What is unreasonable is that they do not allow the individual schools to determine what they consider as acceptable. Perhaps the next action will be to tell the military that they can not dictate the hair lenght either. Troopers with ponytails !!

It "sort of" works in Holland,along with beards and moustaches!

Headline

"Hairdressers and Hair Clipper Manufacturers demand re-instatement of regulation"

In response to the change in regulation covering the length of hair in school, the Thai Hairdressers Association and Thai Clippers Manufacturers Association demanded re-instatement of the rule covering the length of hair, since it will cause an outbreak of greasy hair, nits and unnecessary pollution caused by an increased use of shampoo, according to spokesman Somchai Klipalot...

"Klipalot"

Off topic posts and replies have been removed.

1)I don't think it's about "hair" particulaly, with the teachers it's more about control! By taking up the clippers and removing some hair always seems to bring out the beast in the hair cutting teachers! Most of the time they are really cruel to the kids.

2)While we all agree that teaching, or trying to teach M2 and M3 students is a bit like taming wild animals you can see where allowing these students to wear whatever hairstyles they like is akin to just passing them, even if they fail, in exams! My point is...the vanity of Thai teenagers is beyond belief, it they can spend 30 minutes looking for zits in their rear vision mirror (boys) and girls constantly primping what is it going to be like when they all have long flowing locks??? Most of the little swine can't concentrate now! What hope for the teacher!

My rant and I'm sticking to it!

What is unreasonable is that they do not allow the individual schools to determine what they consider as acceptable. Perhaps the next action will be to tell the military that they can not dictate the hair lenght either. Troopers with ponytails !!

But this is the point!

As the article states the regulation had ALREADY been removed, 9 years ago infact, and was left to the discretion of each individual school director.

The "problem" was two fold.

1. Many directors dont have a clue the rule was removed and continue it regardless of whether they agree with it or not. I have asked MANY directors why they do this and 100% reply "we have no choice, it is the law". The ignorance of these people is beyond belief some times.

2. It creates two tier systems. In my town there are 4 large government schools. Three do not make them cut hair and one does. The one that does is now widely regarded as the "worst" because it is the kids last choice. This means all the bright kids choose one f the other 3 which means the school getting the least capable teachers and the whole thing snowballs.

This letter attempts to cover both factors i.e. enlighten the directors living in the dark ages and level the paying field for all schools/kids. It is ludicrous that kids are beaten (and they are) for breaking a "rule" that does not actually exist. The recent thrashing of 60 girls at one school, ordered by an ignorant new director, has almost certainly prompted this move by the ministry. thje whole incident was captured on video and went viral quickly. Ten teachers involved are facing crimninal charges. Their defence??? The new director offered them money to do it! <deleted>?

There was a "report" by a professor at Thamasat University two years aog which stated the haircut rule was the single biggest factor holding kids back (from developing as individuals). Thats a bit extreme, but it is high time this antiquated regulation was removed properly so good riddance to it.

My kids hair has been taken to in the past by teachers at the local Govt school and I went and complained. I believe it still goes on to this very day. Can't confirm as I have taken the kids out of the school. However I agree with the above about school directors, most of them should be put out to pasture.

Thailand is slowly progressing, with this they have moved their society from the equivalent of going from 1959 to 1960.

Thailand is slowly progressing, with this they have moved their society from the equivalent of going from 1959 to 1960.

Yes but will they ever get to the Beatlemania era?

Thailand is slowly progressing, with this they have moved their society from the equivalent of going from 1959 to 1960.

If you had of said 1859 to 1860 I would have agreed...

Thailand is slowly progressing, with this they have moved their society from the equivalent of going from 1959 to 1960.

Yes but will they ever get to the Beatlemania era?

Well, they will be allowed floppy hairdo's, so its a start. In my school growing up, hair had to be off the collar, or be long enough to make a ponytail, so cue all sorts of stupid attempts for boys to shave and shape their mop into anything that didn't touch their collar. Buzz cuts for Thai kids of an age are practical and good in the heat. All the school needs to do is make sure the kids look tidy enough, so if your mop top is out of control, teacher can tell you to go and get it cut.

Then its the kids problem if he doesn't.

If i had my way, I would be screaming at them to tuck their shirts in and pull up their ties too.