Students with pierced ears, visible tattoos to be barred from vocational schools

[BestBitterPhuket]

Good idea. They need discipline in those schools and they know from experience that the thugs and troublemaker have tattoos and piercings. Force them to cover up and not flaunt their gangsterism. I seriously think that immigration should look twice at heavily tattooed foreigners trying to enter Thailand. Most criminals have tattoos, even though not every tattooed person is a criminal.

[bustit997]

This should also apply to the military then! Expel all military with tattoos. Maybe then they will realize that their prejudices are unjust.

Edited August 6, 2015 by bustit997

[casualbiker]

So now Thai mentality is, that if you have ear piercings and tattoos you are more prone to violence. This country never ceases to amaze me everyday.

Maybe because in this case they ACTUALLY do see it in this type of student!

[choff56]

And what if your too stupid to use the word "you're" and "your" correctly Einstein?

Or correct pluralization.

[scorecard]

This hairbrained piece of genius has nothing to do with the government, it is another misguided idea of some official that has to be heard to make him feel powerful, a common flaw amongst Thais that think themselves important, I would assume that someone with a bit of sense will step in and knock this on the head

Possibly another case of someone who bought their way to the top but in reality has no capability to formulate policies etc.

Edited August 6, 2015 by scorecard

[amerasianex]

I think it is ok to have a dress code. But I think barring them altogether is counter productive. Just have the tattoos covered and visable piercings removed. If they're trying to better themselves thrue education that's what your looking for. Correct?

[Guest]

This is called serving the Elite !

The "ELITE" who go to "public vocational schools" ???

Does anyone actually read the postings before they get to thier clever "quip d' jour?"

[JonnyF]

With all the issues with the economy, political conflict, water management, human trafficking etc. I find it really strange that such attention is being given to issues like chairs on beaches, lottery tickets, how far from a school you can sell alcohol, and now the size and placement of ear-rings and tattoos.

Thailand needs to focus on the bigger picture right now, not keep getting distracted by these silly sideshows.

I really hope they can sort it out before they lose too much ground.

Different departments have different issues to contend with. They all have a job to do!

Prioritizing key issues is a trait of top level management.

Unless of course, you're trying to divert attention away from areas where you are failing.

[bamnutsak]

This should also apply to the military then! Expel all military with tattoos.

While tattoos here have many origins/purposes, one is definitely military. Ancient armies here had tattoos to help them identify with their battle group.

Voke student "organizations" are loosely modeled on this concept, non-volunteer alternate para-military cadres.

[Guest]

And what if your too stupid to use the word "you're" and "your" correctly Einstein?

Or correct pluralization.

HLover .. did you REALLY just say "what if your too stupid..."

While educating the unwashed about the correct use of the contraction "YOU'RE?"

OMG, you can't make up this kind of stupid.

Really.

[Docno]

I'm no fan of tattoos, but this policy is completely misguided. While I'm sure that tattoos are correlated with a delinquency to some extent, that is not sufficient reason to bar someone from an education. There are social categories (ethnicities, cultures, economic levels, etc.) in all countries for which the rate of delinquency is higher than average, and we don't discriminate on that basis.

But the worse part of this is that they have just closed another door to a group of young people whose options were already rather limited. Having lost the opportunity for an education because of an ill-considered tattoo on a visible part of their body, I can see more of these young people entering a life of crime that would have otherwise not been in the cards. The law of unintended consequences at work again....

[casualbiker]

I think it is ok to have a dress code. But I think barring them altogether is counter productive. Just have the tattoos covered and visable piercings removed. If they're trying to better themselves thrue education that's what your looking for. Correct?

Isn't that exactly what the OP refers too?

[casualbiker]

I'm no fan of tattoos, but this policy is completely misguided. While I'm sure that tattoos are correlated with a delinquency to some extent, that is not sufficient reason to bar someone from an education. There are social categories (ethnicities, cultures, economic levels, etc.) in all countries for which the rate of delinquency is higher than average, and we don't discriminate on that basis.

But the worse part of this is that they have just closed another door to a group of young people whose options were already rather limited. Having lost the opportunity for an education because of an ill-considered tattoo on a visible part of their body, I can see more of these young people entering a life of crime that would have otherwise not been in the cards. The law of unintended consequences at work again....

Again if you read the OP they are not barring anyone from an education, just barring them from the mainstream classes were they have obviously been a problem. They can still enrol in the evening classes!

[canuckamuck]

Tattoos don't turn nice people into questionable people. They just identify them.

[riverhigh]

Re: "Young people with large ear-piercings and tattoos are at risk of engaging in antisocial behavior and violence," he claimed. "Many employers, such as official agencies and Japanese firms, do not accept this group to work with them. That is why we have to add this standard to student qualifications."

Young people with large ear-piercings and tattoos may well be at greater risk of engaging in antisocial behavior but then again they usually don't attend college. Personally I think qualifications should take precedence over looks. If the individual can pass the examinations and do the job .... that should be it. I think Japanese firms, and Japanese culture in general, need a wake up call. Imposing your prejudices and beliefs in a foreign country never goes down well.

Ummm we are actually talking about colleges. And in Thailand they do attend technical college. Why the Japanese bashing, any company employs who they want!

Re: Why the Japanese bashing, any company employs who they want!

So all senior managers at regional offices and manufacturing facilities in Thailand be of Japanese descent only? According to your thought process the company has the right to hire whoever they want.

[martinhp]

Soon nobody gonna hire Thais anyway the educational level is too low they use there own special letters which is time consuming and waste of time second they need to learn how to talk and work together third they need freedom of speech nobody above the people four they must except people are different and have the right to be so and five stop making laws there take away normal human rights to follow a religion

[Guest]

I am highly skeptical about the anti-tattoos and ear piercing quote at the end of the article, purporting to be from a vocational college student.

In my experience, VTC students are barely able to mumble more than a few basic words of English. With conversational English at this level, this kid should be majoring in English at university.

What a shame the sentiments he or she allegedly expressed are so much less laudable than the polished prose used to deliver them.

Ummmm ... so you beleive that when a report is written in English, and someone is quoted, they never translate what was said???

Really really?

It must be really hard to get through a day at the United Nations .. and what music are they listening to on those headsets??? .. it must be very good .. everyone is listening to it !!!

If a Thai can speak English at that level, they need to get a job teaching it .. in America!

Edited August 6, 2015 by Guest

[casualbiker]

With all the issues with the economy, political conflict, water management, human trafficking etc. I find it really strange that such attention is being given to issues like chairs on beaches, lottery tickets, how far from a school you can sell alcohol, and now the size and placement of ear-rings and tattoos.

Thailand needs to focus on the bigger picture right now, not keep getting distracted by these silly sideshows.

I really hope they can sort it out before they lose too much ground.

Different departments have different issues to contend with. They all have a job to do!

Prioritizing key issues is a trait of top level management.

Unless of course, you're trying to divert attention away from areas where you are failing.

For this department this is an issue. The report isn't coming from Prayuth it's coming from the department in charge of vocational schools hence it's about vocational schools not flooding or human trafficking.. You can twist logic as much as you want but these governmental departments still have a job to do.

[Seastallion]

piercing and tattoo is important not IQ....how typical for Thailands education system

It's ALL about appearances.

My wife teaches at a vocational college...the stories I could tell you...!

Her school, down South, already has a ban on piercings and tats. The owners like making up new rules to establish their importance.....silly rules, frustrating rules, nonsensical rules...and most of them are to do with appearance of students, teachers, teachers work (reports etc). The colour of the pen you use is dictated...things like headings must be underlined in red (and this is directive to teachers as well as students), it doesn't matter that the heading is grammatically incorrect, as long as the colours are right, a student will be passed.

My wife comes home and almost every day castigates Thai education and those that govern it.

One day someone like my wife will be listened to and the powers that be will realise that a turd rolled in glitter is still a turd.

[Guest]

Soon nobody gonna hire Thais anyway the educational level is too low they use there own special letters which is time consuming and waste of time second they need to learn how to talk and work together third they need freedom of speech nobody above the people four they must except people are different and have the right to be so and five stop making laws there take away normal human rights to follow a religion

With all due respect, may I please ask three questions?

(1) Is English your native language?

If so ...

(2) What is the highest grade level that you graduated from?

- OR -

(3) Is this brillaint satire and I missed it?

[bustit997]

And thailand wants the be the hub for Asian education. What a joke. I tought in the schools for awhile until I got fed up with their system of education. They seat students in groups of 3 to 4 and encourage them to cheat or copy off the smart person near them. I tried to make them separate into rows like a normal school and was told that they need to see what the others are doing so they can pass the class. I was never allowed to fail a student. If they failed a test a thai assistant would take them in the hallway to retest. Then give them the answers. I refused to give them more than a C if this was done. They would go from 10 question out if 60 correct to 50 or 60 correct after this retest. Not fair to the others who actually studied for the test. I got a lot of flack for this, but stuck to my guns.

Now they want to deny an education to students who are trying to better themselves because they don't like the way they look. I seriously doubt that Thailand will ever be known for the way it educates it's people. All they know how to do things is to copy another person's work. They never learn to think on their own.

[anon467367354]

and I always thought Thailand was a tattoo culture.

So much for those that are covered in tattoos from the temples done by monks.

Why is vocational schools about getting jobs? Why is it not about creating jobs and going into

business for yourself? Why is the Thai old school mentality all about getting a job rather than being the

business owner. If I became a certified mechanic or welder, I certainly wouldn't want a job, I'd start a business.

Come on Thailand, you're not creating happiness and equality, but you're doing the opposite, creating

division and taking away opportunity. Shame shame shame for being so shallow,.

Shallow has reached a new depth!

[MikeTexas]

I find it interesting the number of posters that either missed or are ignoring the qualifier "large ear-piercings and visable tattoos" and are basing their arguments on a different level of body modification. Whether you agree or not, tats will affect the type of jobs available to you.

[The Deerhunter]

Definition of Bureaucracy. "A hierarchical system where people keep getting promoted until they end up in at job at least one or two pay grades above their actual ability level."

This is another example of one of these bright ideas from some middle level bureaucrat that sounded good when it was only in his head. Then he authorized to have it included in policy it before he actually said it out loud to see whether it sounded stupid or not. I know what he thought he was trying to do but having black & white vision in a grey-scale world just doesn't work. It only proves you have unthought through, stupid ideas.

Mr A, Repeat after me: "Always seek peer group comment before publishing!!!!" You see how simple it could have been? All that embarrassment avoided.

Edited August 6, 2015 by The Deerhunter

[Linzz]

Oh wah to all those crying about it. Do you really disagree that those who are not presentable are employable? With all the gang violence in schools this is their way of saying if you aren't serious about employment then you aren't serious about studying and therefore remove a good deal of the riff raff. If you want tattoos there is plenty of time in your life to be self expressive..

And what do you think should be done with the "riff raff" ? Further deliberately segregate them so they become so different that they cannot ever achieve or learn and then become potential for prison life? Great answer. This is just fad and fashion and while you and I may not like it, it's here for a duration until it gets replaced by something else. Meanwhile those in power over other's lives try to tailor their own version of grey uniformity on a changing society. The young have to make their own mistakes especially concerning their own bodies which they will inevitably regret, but they may not regret if you are determined to horde them into an underground subculture.

Edited August 6, 2015 by Linzz

[casualbiker]

Oh wah to all those crying about it. Do you really disagree that those who are not presentable are employable? With all the gang violence in schools this is their way of saying if you aren't serious about employment then you aren't serious about studying and therefore remove a good deal of the riff raff. If you want tattoos there is plenty of time in your life to be self expressive..

And what do you think should be done with the "riff raff" ? Further deliberately segregate them so they become so different that they cannot ever achieve or learn and then become potential for prison life? Great answer. This is just fad and fashion and while you and I may not like it, it's here for a duration until it gets replaced by something else. Meanwhile those in power over other's lives try to tailor their own version of grey uniformity on a changing society. The young have to make their own mistakes especially concerning their own bodies which they will inevitably regret, but they may not regret if you are determined to horde them into an underground subculture. .

If they make the mistake then they have to do evening classes in the subject rather than mainstream. If they want it they can still learn.

[Liquorice]

Reminds me of my school days in the UK.

If your hair was too long or too short you were barred from school.

Just how does the length of hair, pierced ears, or tattoos, have any effect on my learning abilities, or for the teacher to teach.

Ridiculous!

[Songhua]

lol. I'm sending a link of this to our son. He has a full sleeve tattoo and earrings, and is currently SELLING vocational & further education courses for a government-contracted agency in Australia. The company loves him and he does well BECAUSE his target market relates to him.

2015, Thailand .... get over it, it's what our future accountants and electricians look like.

How old is your son?

Do his earrings look like this?

Twenty-one. No fleshies but he does sometimes wear those long tapered things.

He does wear a shirt to class and work so if he only had the several sak yant he has on his back he'd be far less unruly and offensive.

[Linzz]

Oh wah to all those crying about it. Do you really disagree that those who are not presentable are employable? With all the gang violence in schools this is their way of saying if you aren't serious about employment then you aren't serious about studying and therefore remove a good deal of the riff raff. If you want tattoos there is plenty of time in your life to be self expressive..

And what do you think should be done with the "riff raff" ? Further deliberately segregate them so they become so different that they cannot ever achieve or learn and then become potential for prison life? Great answer. This is just fad and fashion and while you and I may not like it, it's here for a duration until it gets replaced by something else. Meanwhile those in power over other's lives try to tailor their own version of grey uniformity on a changing society. The young have to make their own mistakes especially concerning their own bodies which they will inevitably regret, but they may not regret if you are determined to horde them into an underground subculture. .

If they make the mistake then they have to do evening classes in the subject rather than mainstream. If they want it they can still learn.

Those who want to study will do so, with or without tatoos, If it's distracting then ask them to cover up while at school but do not exclude them

[Aussie Paul]

Makes perfect sense to me.

If your stupid enough to have tats your too stupid to be educated.

It would have been a marginally less moronic argument if you knew how to spell "you're".