Thai education minister says teachers have no right to cut students’ hair

Thailand’s education minister has confirmed that teachers are not entitled to cut students’ hair as some form of punishment for violating the rules on hair styles. Trinuch Thienthong says her ministry has no such regulation and that teachers have no right to cut students’ hair in a manner that leaves them humiliated.

She goes on to say there are ministerial regulations that allow students of certain disciplines to wear a hair style that conforms to course requirements, such as in the case of the dramatic arts or dancing.

According to a Bangkok Post report, the minister says the types of punishment that are permissible include verbal warnings, issuing demerit points, and getting students to take part in activities aimed at correcting their behaviour. However, cutting their hair is out.

“Nowhere in the rule book is there a stipulation that lets teachers take the matter into their own hands and cut the student’s hair as a form of punishment.”

Trinuch says trimming or cutting a student’s hair in order to punish them could be considered excessively severe and a possibly intimidating act to force a change in behaviour. She admits that discipline is an essential part of the education system, but says forced haircuts have no place in the school environment and do nothing to teach students about their roles and responsibilities.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post