Thai editorial: Uniforms stand for equality

[Thaddeus]

Poor kid or rich kid. Uniforms take away the problem of not having money to buy expensive clothes and be teased or bullied by kids who can. Everyone wears the same uniform and there is no problem..

Really, at our local schools you can tell the difference by the state the uniforms are in.

Add how they arrive at school (method of transport) which mobile phone they have, if at all, quality of bags for books etc

Uniforms mean conformity, strips identity and little else.

[marell]

If the goal here is 'equality' than why aren't uniform policies expanded to ban hi-so designer bags, brand name imported shoes, ostentatious jewelry etc etc.? Uniforms may stand for some abstract concept of so-called equality, but the current policies certainly don't prevent or even discourage overt displays of wealth, influence and social status. In short, it's not working. Maybe, as some suggest, a re-examination of this entire issue is in order.

Edited September 18, 2013 by marell

[bangkokstick]

What it demonstrates is the Thai need for conformity and love of anything militaristic. Just look at a car park attendant here in quasi-military uniform, complete with tin helmet, high ankle boots and of course, the ubiquitous whistle ...

How come the world doesn't fall apart in UK, US or other Western universities where students wear T shirts and jeans, dress as they like and have FAR better education than any Thai university, are more creative than the Thai 'scared to anything in case they make a mistake' mentality, and embrace new concepts instead of staying in the same unthinking mind-set of many Thais?

Shame on you, Nation, for not supporting the Thammasat students in their drive to express some individuality and throw of the shackles of stifled creativity. It's that mentality which has kept Thailand and its thinking 50 years behind Western countries - and that's no exaggeration.

Ridiculous. Kids in country where there is no uniform compete with the expensive clothes they wear and dress as if they were going to disco. School is not a fashion show. And I also like that people wear a uniform in any company that I have to deal with, Thai need rules, they are too stupid to live freely.

Uniforms are the solution to reduce visible differences at school and only stupid western countries do not understand this.

[MacChine]

Not equality amongst themselves, but no status above the system is the way I think it's meant , to reinforce conformity certainly is the goal.

( as the F'ing village loudspeaker goes off, arghhh ads now too .... egads)

"Being forced to wear a uniform in a class might be restricting, but it also denotes a sense of identity and equality."

There is no such thing as equality in Thailand, whether you wear a uniform or not.

Absolutely correct.

At Rangsit University, all students must don the same uniform. However, outside of the classrooms there are students with varying cars... one even has a brand spanking new (and legitimate) Ferrari. Others have Lexus, Benz, BMs all the way down to Vios, Jazz and then on to old Beetles and battered Nissans.... how is that a display of equality within the campus?

The uniform within the classroom environment sparks no equality, when all students know their class standing by what goes on 'outside' of the classroom.

S.

[backtonormal]

In a country where everything is about status and class and money and social standing, it is school- uniforms, that are making the big difference?

What a sorry- a$$ excuse!

from a sorry ass bum wipe rag with an agenda hell bent on keeping the status quo. if you follow the dress code of government workers they look military so they can be wai..ed according to the breast salad dressing which indicates their position to other government workers. Army uniforms all head in one direction and we are not going there. Just ask yourself why most people dont argue their case with any government worker..because the uniform is the link between and ................. and to question such uniform may be construed as offensive to the moral fiber of a Thai

[backtonormal]

Removing a uniform requirement is the wedge to a point where eventually people will start to ask the need for such uniforms for government workers and officials, teachers and endless other positions which are seen as paramount in keeping the masses... just that the masses. maintaining that suppressant referred to as the Thai culture or Thainess.

Thainess holding back the prosperity of the people for decades

[kirk0233]

"A provocative poster showing students in uniform in sexual poses got the attention not only of the university's management but also the public."

It's extremely worrying that TV and the nation decided it was necessary to omit these images.

Wake up Thailand this kind of censorship of provocative sexual posters is both irresponsible and destructive.

Yes, odd that a poster of two students touching each other are omitted, but images of dead and mangled bodies from head on collisions are daily newspaper fare. Such prudish behavior from a country known for its sex tourism and the high infidelity rate for men and women.

[Thai at Heart]

When I was a schoolboy, my mother could not afford the optional school uniform and I can distinctly remember feeling left out. I was proud of my school - renowned for its sporting rather than academic achievements - and wanted everyone to know I went there.

Wearing the blue and white blazer with its colourful badge with its rather pretentious Latin entreaty Ingredere ut proficias (Enter That You May Benefit) would have identified me as part of a winning team and provided me with some much-needed self esteem.

As well as promoting a sense of camaraderie, the wearing of school uniform helps reduce the peer pressure which can be so destructive at a young age. Not all parents can afford the cost of sending their children to school in the latest designer gear.

School uniform also has the virtue of being the least distracting form of dress for the classroom - which, after all, is where one goes to learn, not form potentially dangerous liaisons with the opposite sex.

The voluminous skirts and blouses worn at school by my two school age daughters were obviously designed to minimise, rather than accentuate, their nascent physical charms. They are smart enough to understand the reasons and do not object.

Allowing girls to wear what they like at Tammasat or any other Thai educational establishment is unlikely to reduce the terrible toll of around ten thousand school-age girls who become pregnant every year in a country where abortion is illegal and there is no welfare state to help under-age mothers to cope.

Unsurprisingly (to me at least), two of the nations which have the worst records for school-age pregnancies are the US (bottom of the international league table) and the UK (fourth from bottom) which have no dress code. This may not be a clear case of cause and effect, but I suggest there is a link.

If wearing school uniform helps prevent just one young girl from getting pregnant prematurely, with the resultant devastating effects and her and the young father's life, then long may this old-fashioned Thai trend persist.

More important than any dress code, however, is for the Thai government to address the failure of sex education at Thai schools - which I gather amounts to a total of only about eight hours up to the age of 16. Talk about a little knowledge being a dangerous thing!

Thai parents must shoulder some blame for leaving their children's sex education to schools which have consistently failed to deliver the goods. Ultimately, it is THEIR job - not a teacher's - to ensure their children are protected from the consequences of sexual ignorance.

This is university not high school. Uk high schools on the most part have informs....

Uniforms don't stop kids having sex. Presumably most take it off to do the deed???

Edited September 18, 2013 by Thai at Heart

[kirk0233]

Uniforms stand for equality? In what sense does someone wearing the same clothes, any similar clothing, as someone else create equality between two persons; other than in clothing? Fortunately the clothing does not create an equality of thought, personality, spirit or any other important characteristic that most people think of as human. But, perhaps it gives the impression of equality of income? Yes, perhaps it hides income differences, but why is that important? Is Thailand a communist country where income differences are not allowed? Maybe it would be a good idea to have a university where students are aware of income differences and where they are likely to see that a higher income does not necessarily make the best student and a low income the worst. That it is possible to excel despite a meager income and lack of an elite upbringing. Oddly enough, the students most likely already know who is rich and who isn't; at least among their acquaintances. When one says her father is a MP and another says her father owns a noodle stall, they have a pretty good idea of the relative difference in wealth. It is only those that they don't know who are fooled into the belief of income equality; and even those are not really fooled. Guesses will be made about relative income regardless of dress, simply because the dress does not make them equal financially, and the students know this. So what is the real purpose in the uniforms? I think it is to break their individuality and freedom of expression and continue the process since birth of following orders regardless their merit; first by parents, then teachers and now ajarn. This will prepare them for participation in a society where they know their duty is to follow.

[timewilltell]

As usual the Thai sloth mentality. No excuse for wearing uniform at university whatsoever!

[Thai at Heart]

Removing a uniform requirement is the wedge to a point where eventually people will start to ask the need for such uniforms for government workers and officials, teachers and endless other positions which are seen as paramount in keeping the masses... just that the masses. maintaining that suppressant referred to as the Thai culture or Thainess.

Thainess holding back the prosperity of the people for decades

Indeed. There is a point at which the system itself becomes the problem.

Conformity, and Thainess has become a brake on progress, but they will not let it go. The sky apparently will fall without "the system". Chaos will reign, if the people can't be pigeon holed into their role, neatly tiered by rank and position, freshies below grads, below masters, below doctors and finally Ajarns. The whole thing will get so messy, no one will know what to do. It's like some terrifiying science fiction story, the matrix in real life.

Who are these renegades who question the system? Did they take the blue pill or something? And who is agent Smith? Some blue rinsed grandma with a government pile of public service medals. Ahhhhhhhhhhh, it's all going to end.....

Edited September 19, 2013 by Thai at Heart

[HeijoshinCool]

Yes, uniforms make them all look equal.

Until the poor kids don't take off their shoes so no one sees all the holes in their socks.

[Thai at Heart]

Yes, uniforms make them all look equal.

Until the poor kids don't take off their shoes so no one sees all the holes in their socks.

Its funny how when a pooyai points out the reasoning for something like this, there is never a debate.

It is to create equality, and don't you dare say that maybe it also creates conformity.

[Pops]

What it demonstrates is the Thai need for conformity and love of anything militaristic. Just look at a car park attendant here in quasi-military uniform, complete with tin helmet, high ankle boots and of course, the ubiquitous whistle ...

How come the world doesn't fall apart in UK, US or other Western universities where students wear T shirts and jeans, dress as they like and have FAR better education than any Thai university, are more creative than the Thai 'scared to anything in case they make a mistake' mentality, and embrace new concepts instead of staying in the same unthinking mind-set of many Thais?

Shame on you, Nation, for not supporting the Thammasat students in their drive to express some individuality and throw of the shackles of stifled creativity. It's that mentality which has kept Thailand and its thinking 50 years behind Western countries - and that's no exaggeration.

Look at the west where students who cannot afford brand-clothing get picked on or singled out.

School uniforms do take away part of inequality, for sure !

Furthermore the relationship between school uniform and educational quality, what a load of crock !

Look at some of the school uniform mandatory high end prep schools in the U.K., which probably even have a FAR better education system than any T-shirt allowing U.S. university.

I highly doubt whether the type of clothing worn in universities has anything to do with better or worse education.

[zydeco]

I can't remember the film, but the quote by one of the female characters when her school decided that everyone was to wear a uniform: "If we all dress the same, how will everyone know that my daddy is richer than your daddy?".

That being said, it would probably be more effective if the education system throughout Thailand adopted a code of rigid academic standards and be concerned more about what is on the inside of the students' heads than what they are wearing on the outside.

How will they know? Easy. When their drivers pick them up in their limousines.

[Thai at Heart]

What it demonstrates is the Thai need for conformity and love of anything militaristic. Just look at a car park attendant here in quasi-military uniform, complete with tin helmet, high ankle boots and of course, the ubiquitous whistle ...

How come the world doesn't fall apart in UK, US or other Western universities where students wear T shirts and jeans, dress as they like and have FAR better education than any Thai university, are more creative than the Thai 'scared to anything in case they make a mistake' mentality, and embrace new concepts instead of staying in the same unthinking mind-set of many Thais?

Shame on you, Nation, for not supporting the Thammasat students in their drive to express some individuality and throw of the shackles of stifled creativity. It's that mentality which has kept Thailand and its thinking 50 years behind Western countries - and that's no exaggeration.

Look at the west where students who cannot afford brand-clothing get picked on or singled out.

School uniforms do take away part of inequality, for sure !

Furthermore the relationship between school uniform and educational quality, what a load of crock !

Look at some of the school uniform mandatory high end prep schools in the U.K., which probably even have a FAR better education system than any T-shirt allowing U.S. university.

I highly doubt whether the type of clothing worn in universities has anything to do with better or worse education.

Prep schools and high schools are not university.

By university you are an adult, wear what u like. in school (until 17 to 18) I think there is a place for uniform.

[cup-O-coffee]

A question I have is, where is it written that students who attend were coerced or forced at gun point to attend this university?

Otherwise, shut the .... up and attend, or go elsewhere. This has nothing to do with freedom but everything to do with Thais who agree to, and sign contracts, and then reneg halfway through over some fabricated lie.

[Yunla]

Its also about subconscious programming.

'Wear what the others wear, read what the others read.' There is a lot of subtle orchestration of learning, to promote enquiring minds to remain enquiring only upto a certain point, you could say a uniform point, where the boundary of what is considered educational material ends. This ensures that certain gnosis are considered off-bounds by consensus, and it becomes a self-policing system where other students will notice if your work is veering from the prescribed route. This system is designed to stifle individual thought, and it is done so to retain vested interests' control. I often think we would already today have a cure for cancer, and highly advanced fuel sources, if the previous generations and this one had been taught to think 'outside the box' , to apply unique perspectives and critical thinking, becoming groundbreaking individuals and not herds.Herds follow each other off cliffs.

[hotrod4098]

has the subsidy of school uniforms been cancelled..i remember a time when you paid for the uniform then got it back from the school..