School daze: Vaping vendetta forces Thai student relocation
A young Thai student’s schooling has taken a dramatic turn after a series of shocking assaults by a fellow teenager all because of a vaping device.
Thirteen-year-old Khon Kaen student Oam has been moved to a boarding school following attacks by 16 year old Lek, sparked by a damaged vaping device.
A high-stakes meeting at Watjunprasit School in Ban Phai district, involving school officials, psychologists, and administrators, resulted in Oam’s relocation for safety, a move backed by his concerned mother. Disturbing videos of the assaults had circulated, prompting the urgent decision.
Oam’s mother, worried about their proximity to Lek, a known gang member, plans to leave their rented home.
School director Satsilp Faisoon assured that the boarding school in Ban Hat district promises a secure environment, barring outsider entry. Despite bruises, Oam escaped serious harm.
The case has heightened scrutiny over teenage e-cigarette use, with Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra demanding a crackdown on illegal vaping sales.
Oam’s mother, rattled by the videos, discovered her son never mentioned the attacks or his vaping habit. After breaking Lek’s vape, Oam was told to pay 300 baht for the device and an additional 300 baht as “interest.” Unable to pay, he suffered from a series of violent attacks.
Hoping for a fresh start, Oam’s mother believes the boarding school will help him kick the vaping habit and finish his education.
Meanwhile, Lek’s stepsister, Paeng, revealed his troubled history with drugs and aggression, tracing back to losing his parents in childhood, Bangkok Post reported.
Earlier this week, the Government of Thailand intensified its crackdown on illegal e-cigarettes, targeting smuggling, online sales, and domestic distribution in a nationwide effort to curb the trade.
At a high-level meeting on March 6 at Government House, Jiraporn Sindhuphrai, Minister to the Prime Minister’s Office and overseer of the Office of the Consumer Protection Board (OCPB), announced stricter enforcement measures alongside long-term strategies to tackle the issue.
Jiraporn revealed that between February 1-26, police officers had arrested 666 people and seized over 400,000 e-cigarette products valued at more than 41 million baht.
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